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1892
MAIN
REV. SHERLOCK BRISTOL.
PARAGLET0S,
OR
THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST,
BY-
REV, SHERLOCK BRISTOL,
AUTHOR OF
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VENTURA : OBSERVER PRINTING HOUSE.
FLEMING H. REVELL,
NEW YORK : I CHICAGO :
12 BIBLE HOUSE, ASTOR PLACE. 148 & 150 MADISON STBEET.
COPYBIGHTED BY
REV. SHERLOCK BRISTOL,
1892.
OBSERVER PRINT, VENTURA, CAL.
Tiis
To a class of persons, found in all our Churches,
who hunger and thirst after righteousness and
who sigh after greater fruitfulness in the Lord's
service, this volume is affectionately dedicated.
SHERLOCK BRISTOL.
Ventura, California, January 1. 1893.
355344
COflTEfiTS.
PAGE.
PREFACE. ...'... 5
INTRODUCTION. ...'... 9
CHAPTER.
I. Paracletos Defined. . . .17
ir. The Work of the Holy Spirit under the Mo-
saic Dispensation. . , .22
III. His Work under that of Messiah. . 23
IV. The Pentecostal Baptism, an Object Lesson. 29
V. The Promised Baptism, not limited to Apos-
tolic Times ..... 34
VI. The Personal Blessings it Imparts. . 52
VII. The Help it gives in Christian Work. . 77
VIII. Conditions of its Bestowal. . . 87
IX. Counterfeits and How Detected. . . 105
X. How Retained and How Lost. . . Ill
XI. The Attitude the Various Organizations
Take With Reference to It. . 116
XII. Testimonies of Eminent Christians. . 146
XIII. The Personality and Divinity of the Holy
Spirit. ..... 155
XIV. Final Words With Earnest Seekers. . 170
A PR.VYER. 182
It is said that "All works of fiction are founded
upon facts." We believe this is true, especially of
those which possess real merit. Their most valuable
thoughts, cluster around experiences and observations
of the writers which produced profound impressions,
and prompted the production of their books. Nor is
this true of works of fiction alone; more than half
the books in our libraries had a similar ori-
gin. Could we but know the Genesis, and follow step
by step to the final Kevelation, how much additional
interest it would add to the reading and to the profit
of the book ! Possibly, the reader of the following
pages will ask for the motive which has induced the
writer in his advanced age to weary himself with the
writing of a book on this topic, with its attendant ex-
pense, criticism and care. It may be as well here as
elsewhei e in the book to give the reasons.
1. A -promise made to the Lord many years ago
when in deep spiritual trouble, that if the Lord
would deliver him, would take his feet from the
mirey clay, set them on a rock, and establish his go-
ings. If he would deliver him from the power of
besetting sins and put the song of permanent victory
6 PREFACE.
in his mouth, then he would testify to others, the power
and grace of the Great Deliverer, and do his utmost to
induce them to apply to him for similar relief.
2. The study of the Scriptures has convinced him,
that there is a power of the Holy Spirit held in re-
serve for Christians, far beyond that usually bestowed in
conversion, and indispensible to victory over sin and
to their highest usefulness. And that for this "I will
be inquired by the House of Israel to do it for them
saith the Lord."
3. Gratitude to God for the delightful experiences
of the past fifty years, and the path growing brighter
and brighter toward the perfect day, prompts to this
final offering of a grateful heart. May the Glorious
Giver accept it, small though it be, like a pair of tur-
tle doves or two young pigeons.
4. Another reason for the writing of this book, is
the desire to call back the Church of God, from its de-
pendence upon its colleges, its seminaries, its eloquent
ministers, its learned Doctors, its Sabbath Schools,
Missionary Societies, and what not; to dependence on
the Holy Spirit, as the power to be sought first, midst, and
last, and without which all other agencies are but brok-
en reeds ! The writer believes there has been a fearful
departure in these latter days from this primal and
PEEFACE. 7
most important fact of the Christian system. In the
biographical sketches of the late Kev. Chae. Spurgeon
while the writers have dwelt upon his sterling com-
mon sense, his mother wit, his natural talent for public
speaking, his eloquence, his marvelous voice, and his
skill as an organizer and leader of men, &c., they lave
scarcely alluded to the power of the Holy Ghost, which
rested on him, as on Peter, when he pieached in the
Pentecostal revival ! Alas ! Alas ! that the power
which wrought all his works in him, as he himself was
so prompt to confess, shou d have been left out, ig-
nored, forgotten ! Did he not, if told of this in Heav-
en, ask to be allowed to rush back to earth, and pro-
test in the name of the Lord, against a praise so sac-
rilegious and so misplaced? In Peter and Paul's daj*,
they would have said- "He being full of the Holy
Ghost so spake, that great numbers both of men and
of women turned to the Lord." "For he was a good
manand/wZ/o/' the H)ly Ghost and much people were
added unto the Lord."
5. A final cause for the presentation to the Chris-
tian public of this great matter, has been the belief
of the writer that he was prompted thereto by the
Holy Spirit. The vast importance of the subject mat-
ter will be conceded bv all. But who is sufficient to
8 PREFACE.
set it forth ? In the writing of the following pages,
the writer has often been oppressed with a sense of
his incompetency. And not once or twice only, has
paused in the work, and looking to the right hand and
the left, has cried out ! for some other, more compe-
tent to set forth this great matter before the Churches!
But a gentle voice as often whispered encouragingly in
his ears, the words once spoken to Moses, "Who made
man's mouth ? Or who rnaketh the dumb or deaf ? Or
the seeing and the blind ? Have not I the Lord ? Now
therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach
thee what thou shalt say !"
Christian reader ! A great future lies before you !
An angel cannot measure it, or see its end ! How can
you lay its strong foundations, or place its corner
stones, except you call on the Holy Ghost for help and
receive him in fullest measure ? Much he has done for
you ! Who can tell how much ? Much he is doing
still and is yet to do to carry out in your case, his
plans of love ! And David said, "What shall I render
unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me ? " Can
you do less than say with him, "I will take the Cup of
Salvation and call on the name of the Lord ?"
It is a well recognized Christian doctrine and one
accepted by all evangelical Churches, that the conver-
sion of sinners is brought about mainly, through the
persuasive influence of the Holy Spirit. Earnest
workers in the Gospel field, confronted everywhere with
evidences of the deep depravity of our race, and con-
scious of its power within, would give up all effort in
despair, did they not confidently anticipate help from on
high. And while every human persuasive is brought
out and vigorously applied, the chief reliance is on
the aid expected from the Holy Spirit. Jesus said
"When he the Spirit of truth is come, he shall convince
the world of sin, of righteousness and of Judgment."
And an Apostle said, "No man can say that Jesus is
the Christ but by the Holy Ghost." The Hebrew
prophets foresaw the nations of the earth turning to
God, only after "The Spirit was poured out from on
high." So established is this doctrine in our Churches,
that were one of its ablest preachers to declare his be-
lief in his personal power to convert a soul without
the help referred to, they would be shocked at his pre-
sumption and turn from him as a man grossly con-
10 INTRODUCTION.
ceited, and ignorant of the hold sin has upon the hu-
man heart! Hence it is, that in all revivals of religion
where sinners in numbers turn to the Lord, the
Churches are much on their knees, looking upward and
praying for the descent of the Holy Spirit. If it be
asked, whence this arrangement in the Divine plan of
a special and personal work of the Spirit in man's conver-
sion? one answer may be; that the conversion of a
sinner, is a work special and extraordinary! It stands
by itself ! No other in our world is like it or ever will
be! It means a restored fellowship, joyous, satisfying
and eternal, between God and his alienated and wan-
dering child! To the convert it means heart cleansingj
and holiness perfected, unending felicity and a growth
and wealth of being, inexpressible and illimitable !
Unto other finite beings, the companions of that future
life, it means a contribution to their blessed estate, ever
increasing in volume and value ! In a matter so im-
portant, God must feel an interest larger than that of
all finite beings, and fit it is that he should have a spe-
cial hand in bringing about that wondrous change! How
could such a being as God is, stand aside and treat it
as a matter of merely ordinary import ? The Parable
of the Prodigal Son suggests what it is fit a loving
INTRODUCTION. 11
father should do in such a case. Other reasons sug-
gest themselves, but it is not germain to the purpose
of this book to state them here.
But the measure of Divine influence employed in
the conversion of sinners and indispensible thereto, is
not that to which the writer desires to call the reader's
attention. It is rather to a much larger measure and
one usually bestowed subsequent to conversion and sup-
plementary to it. A measure specially promised to
God's people under Messiah's reign as the great power
by which the nations are to be converted, Satan's king-
dom overthrown, and the millennium brought in !
Such a gift, the writer has no doubt, has been pro-
vided for God's people, has been set before them in the
Bible, and is now lovingly and earnestly urged upon their
acceptance; nevertheless, like many other heavenly gifts,
actually bestowed, only, when earnestly sought
sought in faith, in full hearted consecration and im-
portiiDate prayer. Conditions not arbitrary, but indis-
pensible to a proper appreciation of the gift and its
retention. "This kind cometh not, but by prayer."
The ten day's prayer meeting, held by the Apostles in
that upper room in Jerusalem, while they waited for
the promised baptism of the spirit, fairly represents to
12 INTRODUCTION.
the writer's mind, the conditions on which, during the
centuries following, the great gift was to be ordinarily
bestowed. And it is his settled belief, that if the ex-
ample there set by the Apostles had been followed in
its spirit by their successors, long since this world would
have been converted to God. And even now, were *our
Churches to seek this blessing as the Apostles sought
it were they occasionally to set apart special and ad-
equate periods for prayer, confession, and seeking the
gift of the Holy Spirit, he believes revivals would fill
the land and the world ! The power to work miracles,
and to speak with tongues, may have been eliminated
from among the gifts originally bestowed. We be-
lieve it has been. But the great essentials are still there
in undiminished measure, and offered on terms equally
liberal and compliable. The chief and essential ele-
ments in this gift are believed to be two. 1st. personal
sanctification, and 2nd, power to impress others wit"h
the truth. A power in both cases super-human the
power of the spirit -taking- up his residence in the
human body and making it his temple, and allying
himself with the soul and aiding it in all its warfare
and its work. Is there such a power in reserve for
God's people? That it has been largely ignored by
INTRODUCTION. 13
our Churches for ages and therefore unemployed and
unsought, is no proof that it does, not exist. What
discoveries the last half of the nineteenth century has
made of great powers latent till now, and for six
thousand years waiting to be discovered and applied
to human use ! All our Churches admit a power of
the Holy Spirit, such as is employed in the conversion
of sinners, omnipresent in the Churches, but largely
latent and undeveloped, because not sought and coop-
erated with as the Gospel requires. Even so is the
Great Helper, present among the Churches, clothed
with powers like those bestowed at Pentecost, and as
ready to impart them now as he was then. This world
is fast filling up with people ! It approaches its end
in its present form. Great promises and prophecies
remain to be fulfilled ! The nations are to be con -
verted ! But they will not be at the present slow
rate of progress. That which will bring it about
will be a world-wide Pentecostal revival. A revival
sought by Christians all over the world much after
the Pentecostal pattern, and received, first in sanc-
tifying power upon themselves, and then in an
out-going power upon the nations. And when that
shall be, then we shall begin to hear the towers fall,
14 INTRODUCTION.
and the nations saying one to another, "Come and let
us go up to the house of the Lord and he will teach
us His ways and we will walk in His paths." In the full
confidence that this great blessing is in store for God's
people awaiting the asking and the seeking ; and
longing to see our "Zion awake and shake herself
from the dust, and put ou her beautiful garments" the
writer, now in his 78th year, and expecting to depart
on the morrow takes his pen to write unto the Church-
es, and especially to his younger brethren in the Min-
istry, his convictions on this subject. May a hand un-
seen guide his pen and preserve from error that which
may be written. No less inspire the reader with long-
ing desires to " Know what is the hope of his calling
and what is the riches of the glory of Christ's inheri-
tance in the Saints, and what is the excelling greatness
of his power to us-ward who believe, acording to the
working of his mighty power !"
HYMN. 15
Lo / I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Matt. 28: 20.
"Always with us, Always with us,
Words of cheer and words of love ;
Thus the risen Saviour whispers,
From his dwelling place above.
With us when we toil in sadness,
Sowing much and reaping none;
Telling us that in the future,
Golden harvests shall be won.
With us when the storm is sweeping
O'er our pathway dark and drear;
Waking hope within our bosoms,
Stilling every anxious fear.
With us in the lonely valley,
When we cross the Chilling Stream,
Lighting up the Steps to Glory,
With Salvation's radiant beam."
17
CHAPTER I.
"Paracletos" defined as the Holy-Helper and more than
"The Comforter," ax the word translated in the English
Bible.
Jesus said in John 16:13, "When he the Spirit of
Truth is come, He shall guide you into all truth" And
the fair inference from this passage is, that the Holy
Spirit in his alliance with the human soul, becomes its
aid in the acquisition of every specie* of useful knowl-
edge." "He will lead you into all truth." Why not? Is
He not interested in the entirety of our welfare? Is
there anything which affects our growth, our useful-
ness, or our happiness, beneath His notice ? Has He
not numbered the hairs on our head ? And has He not
gone below us to feed the sparrows, and deck the flow-
ers of the field? We are expressly told that He inspired
Bezaleel and his fellow-workmen, with skill in con-
structing and decorating the Tabernacle in the Wilder-
ness, and also, that He called and qualified the Judges
of Israel who from time to time were raised up to
guide the Lord's people and deliver them from their
enemies. And did He did not go forth with their
armies and help them overcome their foes*? Nor can
18 PARACLETOS
we doubt that when David invented his stringed in-
struments for the Sanctuary Service, the Holy Spirit
as truly aided him then, as when he wrote the Psalms
they were intended to accompany. Nor have we of
this nineteenth century, reason to doubt the influence
of the Holy Spirit, in the wonderful and almost miracu-
lous inventions and discoveries which have been made
since its commencement, and especially during its lat-
ter half. It is as if an unseen hand had touched the
springs of human thought and inspired" them with an
activity unknown before. And that these wonderful
inventions are designed for a purpose, over yonder, bet-
ter >and grander than ever entered the inventor's
thought! Solomon represents the Holy Spirit (so we
think) as saying "I wisdom dwell with prudence and
find out the knowledge of witty inventions, rejoicing
in the habitable parts of the earth ; and my delights are
with the sous of men." And is not this variety in the
Holy Spirit's work in instructing the human soul, that
which is represented in Rev. 12: 6, as "the seven spirits
of God sent forth into all the earth ?"
p
We are ^not therefore quite satisfied with the render-
ing the translators gave in our English Bible to the
Greek, word. "Paracletos." They translate it "the Com-
DEFINED. 19
forter." But it literally means, one "called upon,"
"kala," to call, and "para," for or upon. Perhaps we
should say "The Called Upon." One who has come
into our world to help needy humanity, and stands
ready, at every human door, to help those who want
his assistance and ask for it. If, for example, we are in
sorrow, and ask for sustaining grace, and He comes
and wipes away the tears; then He is our Comforter.
If in perplexity, and know not what to do or whither
go, and He takes our hand and leads us out, then He is
our Guide. If we are sorely tempted and feel our feet
sliding and call for help, and He comes to the rescue
and delivers us from our strong enemy, then He is our
Deliverer, the Captain of Salvation. If as a student, I
need stimulus and illumination, to acquire the mental
discipline and knowledge I am in pursuit of, and He
comes to my aid, then He is my Teacher. If I feel my
soul is polluted and unfitted for His Holy residence, and
I call on him to come and cast out the unclean thoughts
and desires, which like unclean spirits cling so fondly
there, and he comes and drives them away, then He is
my Sanctifier.
If the book of God is largely sealed to me, and
fails to give comfort as it should, and He comes and
20 PARACLETOS
breaks the seals, and makes it luminous, then He is the
Interpreter. In short, the Holy Spirit fills so many
offices, beside that of Comforter, that we prefer the
more general term of Patron or Helper, as more fitly ex-
pressing the work He does for men. And yet a more
literal-rendering still of Paracletos, is, as suggested
above, that of The- Called- Upon. A distinguished
Greek scholar, a learned Professor in a Theological
Seminary, when asked to translate Paracletos in a
single word, replied, "I cannot. It would take a
dozen strong English words to give the full meaning,
so extensive are the aids properly covered by it!"
It is as if in some city, there were some one, so giv-
en to help all who are in any distress, or need of help
of any kind, and so able to help, and so successful in
helping, and so absorbed in the work of helping, that
it seems to constitute the only business of his life.
Great multitudes go to him asking for relief and not
one that is worthy is sent empty away ! Crowds
throng the streets which lead to his house by day, and
many are the applicants who call upon him after the sun
has set and some during the small hours of the coming-
day; Yet unVearied, he is ever ready to hear the plea,
and rise and give the worthy applicant as much as he
DEFINED. 21
shall need. At length he comes to be known as "The-
C ailed- Upon !" Such is the Bible designation, of that
great being, whose work in this world, and especially
among Christians, it will be the object of the follow-
ing chapters to describe. "The- Catted- Upon!" How
suggestive, reader, of what you have done a thousand
times ! Of what millions more have done and are do-
ing still ! Indeed, is there a being on the earth or has
there ever been, whose mind has opened wide enough
to take in the idea of God, but has felt his brooding
sympathy at times, has been taught the better way, and
has been helped by a hand unseen ? "Thou art the
confidence of All the ends of the earth and of them
that are afar off upon the sea." So says the Psalmist'
And such we believe will be the confession of all our
race, when before the throne in the coming judgment,
the nations kneel and confess before God the facts and
experiences of life.
"We need thee every hour,
Stay thou near by ;
Temptations lose their power,
When thou art nigh !"
22 PARACLETOS.
CHAPTER II.
The Work of the Spirit under the Mosaic Dispensation.
In the brief synopsis of events before the flood, we
read these mournful words: "And it repented the
Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved
him at his heart. And the Lord said, My Spirit shall
not always strive tvith man ! And this expression "Strive
with man," implies an earnest and persistent struggle
on the Spirit's part to hold men back from sin and the
threatened doom. A like record is made of his efforts
to save the Israelites on their way to Canaan, when it is
said, "They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit." An-
other still and not less strong in the expression,
"How can I give thee up Ephraim ? How shall I deliv-
er thee Israel ? How shall I make thee as Admah ?
How shall I set thee as Zeboim ? Mine heart is
turned within me, my repentings are kindled togeth-
er !" This on the one hand. On the other we read of
his successful work in a multitude of instances. There
were Enoch and Elijah, so sanctified by his power and
so ripened for heaven, that they were not suffered to
see death, but were translated ! Others like Moses,
David and Melchisadek, become types of the coming
WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 23
Messiah ! All their great teachers, we are told, spoke
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Indeed, the
list of the Spirit's triumphs in converting and sancti-
fying men, while yet the nations were groping and
feeling their way amid the shadows of the old dispen-
sation, and awaiting the rise of the Sun of Righteous-
ness, is too large to be transcribed here.
CHAPTER III.
The Work of the Holy Spirit under Messiah's reign, and
in wliat respects it differed from that under Moses.
1. In the measure of Divine influence imparted to individ-
uals. The great atonement, by the blood of the Mes-
siah, opened the door for a wider and richer display
of God's mercy and generosity towards sinners.
God's government is vast! Countless are the hosts
which are interested in it! It is evident from the
Scriptures, that beings, other than those of the earth,
looked with wondering eyes on God's treatment of a
world of sinners ! When the angels sinned, at onCe the
law was executed, an(jl they were cast out of heaven !
24 PARACLETOS.
But when man had sinned, punishment was largely
withheld! The judgment was delayed, and pity and
mercy and love combined to bring him to repentance !
What did it mean ? Was it possible that the Great
Father and Governor was so moved by sympathy for
his children, born in a world where devils roamed and
tempted them, that he would fail to stand by the law
which had hitherto been held so sacred. And when
the mercy seat was planted in the tabernacle, and of-
ferings made thereon, angels are represented as look-
ing down upon it and studying into its meaning ! Paul
interprets the cherubim above the mercy seat as mean-
ing, "which things the angels desire to look into."
But when the Lamb of God condescended to human
incarnation ! to humiliation so low ! and at last poured
out his blood on the Altar of Sacrifice ! then were the
seals of the great mystery broken ! and the Cheru-
bim above the mercy seat flew back to heaven crying,
Amen ! Amen ! God is just and God is gracious !
And his fidelity to his government can be questioned
nevermore ! No, not if millions of repentant prodi-
gals are forgiven and restored ! And now open wider
than ever the windows of heaven and let richer show-
ers than ever fall upon men I If we are asked to
WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 25
show that larger measures of the Spirit are imparted
to persons since Jesus came than ever before, we refer
to Peter preaching after he had received the holy bap-
tism in which 3,000 were converted in one day, and
that in a city notorious for its prejudice against Christ
and His disciples ! In vain is previous history searched
for a parallel with the power which attended that day's
preaching.
So too, the Apostle Paul stands head and shoulders
above the seers and prophets of the Old Testament
in the marvelous power which attended his footsteps,
while "from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum, he
fully preached the Gospel of Christ!" So of many
others, the companions or successors of these men.
Baptised with the Holy Ghost they went every where
preaching the word, planting Churches, and leading
sinners to Christ in numbers so great that kings on
their thrones saw the signs of the Son of Man coming-
in his kingdom with power and great glory ! No sec-
tion of earth's previous history, shows anything like a
similar endowment of Spiritual .power! Coming
down to more modern times, we behold Wesley and
Whitfield, men as entirely dissimilar in mental traits,
as two men well could be. Yet both filled with the
26 PAEACLETOS.
Holy Ghost, and each leading unto the Lord, in his
own way, men and women in numbers far beyond those
so led by any of the Old Testament Prophets, or even
Peter and Paul in the new ! Later still, and even in
our own times, men like Spurgeon in Europe, and
Moody and Mills in America, astonish the world, by
the power which attends them in preaching the Gos-
pel. Did not Jesus say, John 14:12, "He that believeth
on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater'
works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Fath-
er !" But there is another difference in the operations
of the Spirit, under the new dispensation which dis-
tinguishes it from the old.
2d. In the enlarged area of his work. Under the
first Dispensation, while he was everywhere doing his
work among the sons of men, leaving not a single soul
destitute of his influence, his first and especial
work was among the lost sheep of the House of Israel,
raising up prophets among them, imparting to them a
special revelation, walling them in also and separating
them trorn the nations by special institutions and prom-
ises. But the seers of the Old Testament clearly fore-
saw, this was not always so to be, They beheld in
Messiah's day, the partition wall broken down, and
WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 27
thus they prophesied, "It shall come to pass in the last
days, saith the Lord, that I will pour out my Spirit
upon all flesh!" "It shall come to pass in the last days
that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be estab-
lished in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted
above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it, and
many people shall go and say, Come ye and let us go up
to the Mountain of the Lord to the house of the God
of Jacob, and he will teach us his ways and we will
walk in his paths. And he shall judge among the na-
tions and rebuke many peoples and they shall beat
their swords into plow shares and their spears into
pruning hooks, and nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more !
Passgaes like these abound in the Old Testament, and
they teach, what facts abundantly show, that on Mes-
siah's day, the work and success of the Holy Spirit,
would be greater outside the Jewish people, than within
their borders !
3. Unusual classes of people receive the baptism of the
Holy Spirit under the new dispensation. In the old,
his special gifts were largely confined to the priest-
hood, the seers, and the first-born in the family. Now,
all were invited to share in it, the sons and daughters,
28 PAEACLETOS.
the young men and old men, the servants and hand-
maidens; not one is excluded! what ever their em-
ployments, or social condition, the greatest of heaven's
gifts is laid at their door ! The language conveying
the gift is this, "I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions, and your old men
dream dreams, and on the servants and on the hand-
maidens, will I pour out my Spirit, and they shall
prophesy." That is, they shall like the ancient proph-
ets preach the will of God, with the manifest sanction
of his power ! This precious truth, that every Chris-
tian in Messiah's day could receive the baptism of the
Holy Spirit, received clear illustration and confirma-
tion in the Pentecostal object lesson. In that wonder-
ful outpouriDg of the Spirit, the cloven tongue as of
fire sat upoh each of them, and they were all filled with
the Holy Ghost and glorified God, as the Spirit gave
them utterance !
PENTACOSTAL BAPTISM. 29
CHAPTER IV.
The Pentecostal Baptism, a great object lesson.
This remarkable outpouring of the Spirit stands out
in the Bible, with a prominence, which draws all eyes
unto it ! Nothing equals it in the book of revelation.
It is a great and startling object lesson, which Christians
of all subsequent ages should study, and in it learn by
what great force, personal sanctification is to
be secured, and the world converted to God. What
does this object lesson teach ?
1st. It clearly teaches that the baptism of the Holy
Spirit is a great spiritual endowment bestowed upon
Christians, subsequent to their conversion. In the case of
many of these who first received it, it came years after
their first induction into the family of God. Perhaps
this is not always so, but we believe it is, usually. We
say "usually" because we have occasionally seen con-
verts and heard of others who received the Great Gift
simultaneously with conversion. Bat such cases are
rare. As a rule, converts after their conversion have
a hard task in the effort to control their thoughts,
passions, their speech and spirit. There is so much
carnality left, so much of the world and the devil with-
30 PARACLETOS.
in, and around, while the spiritual man is feeble and the
measure of the Spirit is small, that they often stumble and
fall ! And for a time they have a seventh chapter of Ro-
mans' experience. At length, like Israel in trouble, they
cry unto the Lord for help and are delivered. They re-
eive a double portion of the Holy Spirit and move into
the 8th chapter and rejoice with joy unspeakable and
full of glory! There is so much of God in them now,
that the devil flies, the flesh is subdued and the world
is overcome! I say this is the usual experience. It
was so in the apostles day. It is so now. We pass
from experience to Bible proofs that this view is cor-
rect. The Apostles who received this gift on the day
of Pentecost were Christians and had made consider-
able attainments in the Divine life. This is clear from
the language which Christ uses concerning them, in that
memorable prayer offered before his apprehension.
"I have given them thy word and the world hath
hated them because they are not of the world even as I
am not of the world. While I was with them I kept
them in thy name and none of them is lost but the son
of perdition." "Now ye are clean but not all." Such
language proves clearly that they were converted peo-
ple. Yet these were the very persons, to whom "the
PENTACOSTAL BAPTISM. 31
Spirit of Truth, the Comforter" was promised, over and
over again in that memorable after-supper-talk, as a
friend who was yet to come in fullness to their aid and
abide with them forever. So, too, after his resurrection,
and just before his ascension, "Being assembled with
them he commanded them that they should not depart
from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Fath-
er, which saith he ye have received of n?e. For John
truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with
the Holy Ghost not many days hence." And these were
the men who conducted that prayer-meeting of ten
day's continuance and held the brethren fast to the
promise, till they were all with one accord in one place,
and upon whom on the tenth day the Baptism came,
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost! Thence-
forth they were a very different class of men from
what they were before ! So far as the record goes, the
inference is strong that the entire 120 in that upper
room, who prayed for that baptism so long, were with-
out exception, Christians, not less devout, than the av-
erage Christian in our modern churches. Probably
far more so, for it cost something to be a Christian in
those days of persecution and crucifixion ! And if
such men needed the Holy Baptism, shall the modern
32 PAEACLETOS.
Church member be content with conversion and say
"that is enough for me ! I have been forgiven have a
hope and have no need of any higher or greater bless-
ing !" Passing along a little further in the story of
the Apostles we read of Phillip going down to Sama-
ria and preaching the Gospel and that "many believed
and were baptised both men and women ! And
when the Apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria
had received the word of God they sent to them Peter
and John, who when they were come prayed for them
that they might receive the Holy Ghost, and they laid
their hands on them, and they received the Holy
Ghost." What stronger proof do we need that the in-
fluence and measure of the Spirit which brings about
conversion, is not oil that me need and all that is provided f
What greater proof that the Baptism of the Holy
Spirit, is a Christian endowment, and far above that re-
ceived at conversion. 2. This great object lesson teaches
that we must ourselves personally seek the gift, if we
would have it. It came not to the Apostles unsought.
Witness the ten days' prayer meeting. 3. That all
classes can have it, that all need it whatever their lot,
be they servants or handmaidens, old or young. 4. In
that object lesson we see how God's people can
WORK OF THE SPIRIT. 33
from weakness rise to power. The Holy Ghost must
come upon them, and then he that is feeble among
them shall be as David and the house of David as the
Angel of God. 5. In it we see how Christians are to
be sanctified. That is lifted to a life of steadfast walk
with God and victory over the powers of sin. By the
reception within of this large measure of the Holy
Spirit. Thus were sanctified Peter and his brethren.
6. In it too we see how the nations are to be convert-
ed unto the Lord. 7. We see also that if the Church
would see sinners converted, it must first of all be bap-
tized by the Holy Ghost. So much at least, this ob-
ject lesson teaches. We shall enlarge on these topics
in subsequent chapters. We leave them for the present.
34 PAEACLETOS.
CHAPTER V.
The Pentecostal Endowment Permanent in its Essentials.
Was the Pentecostal endowment of the Spirit de-
signed solely for the Apostolic age, or intended in its
substantial elements for the Christian Church down
through the entire Messianic ? Was the promise of
the gift made to us as well as to the Apostles and
their brethren? Is the gift within our reach as truly
as within theirs ? Questions of immense practical im-
portance ! They concern us personally. They concern
the Church of God, and they deeply concern a world
lying in wickedness. If the gift is for us, how sinful
to live without it ! If it is only in part for us, we need to
know what our portion is, and to rise up and take
quick possession ! It is the settled belief of the wri-
ter that when the Holy Spirit came to take the place of
the departed Jesus, he came to atride with the Church
down through the ages, its Sauctifier, its Inspirer and
Helper in converting the world to Christ. Indeed,
what less can we make of Christ's words, "I will pray
the Father and he shall give you another Comforter
that he may abide with you forever ! " And when that
Comforter came, he came not empty handed, but with
PENTACOSTAL BAPTISM. 35
gifts rich and manifold. Thus Paul enumerates them,
in 1 Cor. 12 Chap. "To one is given the word of wis-
dom, to another knowledge, to another faith, to another
gifts of healing, to another miracles, to another proph-
ecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another divers
tongues, to another interpretation of tongues by the
same Spirit." In another place, Gal. 5:23, he tells us
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffer-
ing, gentfeness, goodness, faith, meekness, temper-
ance." The sum of all this long enumeration of
the gifts the Spirit bestows, is that the gifts he im-
parts are as varied as the wants of believers w r ere at
that time, or would be down to the end of time. And
if that is so, it follows that some of them would be
specially adapted to their times, and incidental to the in-
troduction of the New Testament, its verification as the
word of God, but not needed after that work was done,
and therefore subsequently to be withheld. Such we
believe was the power to work miracles, to write in-
spired books, to speak with tongues, and in some
cases to forecast the future. We do not see how the
Apostles could have transmitted to us the Gospels and
the Epistles as writings divinely inspired, unless the
Holy Ghost had confirmed them bv miracles. But
36 PAEACLETOS.
when the word was verified as Divine, and the world
had received evidence sufficient to convince honest and
earnest men that the New Testament is God's Book,
then it was eminently fit that this feature of the Baptism
should be withdrawn, or eliminated from the gifts be-
stowed. For the laws of nature as we call them, are all
the laws of God, they are all very dear to Him, since they
were enacted in infinite wisdom and love, and necessary
for the highest welfare of His children. If, therefore, He
sets any of them aside, it must be temporarily, and at
spaces few and far between. And even then only as few
laws as possible, must feel the interference. The vast im-
portance of the verification of the New Testament, alone war-
ranted and demanded the bestowment upon its writers
of miraculous powers. But when that end was an-
swered, reason says they should be withdrawn, and
history shows they were. But surely the withdrawal
of them did not involve those other all important gifts
which were needed still and will be down to the
enJl of time. We shall all admit that the great value
of the latter day outpouring of the Spirit the Pen-
tecostal Baptism, lay in its power to convert sinners and
sanctify Christians. This done universally, or even gen-
erally, the millennium will have come, and the earth
PENTACOSTAL BAPTISM. 37
will be but a vestibule of heaven ! But miracles have
very little direct influence in bringing about either
sanctification or conversion. Mucn r less than the mass-
es of people think. Let us look at a few examples.
The raising of Lazarus from the dead did not convert the
Jewish Sanhedrim, though its members well knew of its
occurrence, they resisted its influence and sought to kill
Lazarus to put his testimony out of the way ! Judas had
been an eye witness to Christ's miracles from the first,
yet they did not change his wicked heart, but he con-
tinued a hypocrite and a thief, and finally, betrayed his
Lord for 30 jrieces of silver ! The officers and soldiers,
who were sent to apprehend Jesus, so felt the stroke
of his power when he advanced to meet them and said
"I am he," that "they went backward and fell on the
ground!" Yet they rose and rallied against him ! And
when a few moments after, they saw Jesus heal with
a touch the right ear of Malchus, which Peter had
cut off, still, unchanged in heart, they proceeded
to bind Jesus and lead him away to Annas and Caia-
phas for condemnation and crucifixion ! And when the
whole multitude uttered the hoarse cry "crucify ! cruci-
fy him !" Doubtless their voices were lifted up
with the rest and probably that of Malchus too.
38 PAEACLETOS.
Need we go back to Sinai and see the people worship-
ing a golden calf, crying "theee be thy Gods, O ! Israel
which led thee out of Egypt," while yet the towering
mountain before them trembled at the presence of
Him, who had but a few days before, uttered with a
voice two millions could hear, the ten commandments?
Need we recur to this as a proof that in all ages mir-
acles have had no direct power to convert and sanctify
men, and often very little that is indirect? What a
startling example in this line were the people of Is-
rael in all their journey from Egypt to the promised
land ! Did they not stand for half a year in Goshen
and behold the ten dire plagues fall upon Egypt ? Did
they not hear the midnight wail which went up from
every Egyptain house, when the startled family arose
and found their first born dying or dead ? Did they
not see the waters divide and allow them to pass over
into the Arabian peninsula dry shod, while Pharaoh's
host was overwhelmed and drowned ? And when their
little store of food was spent, were they not for years
fed with the manna which fell from heaven? But did all
these and many other miracles, convert or sanctify
the multitude ? Far, far from it ! They continued im-
penitent; they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit so
PENTECOSTAL BAPTISM. 39
that "He sware in his wrath that they should not enter
into His rest!" We may add that the baptism of the
Holy Ghost, did not always imply a power to work
miracles. John was full of the Spirit. But John
wrought no miracles, nor is it probable that one in a
hundred of the Christians who received the great
gift had the power to work a miracle. Paul asks,
with an implied negative, "Have all the gift of
healing? Do all work miracles !" And in a discussion
of the comparative value of the gifts imparted by the
Spirit, he exalts charity, or a heart full of love to God
and Man, as far above all the rest. We have dwelt thus
long on this feature the miraculous of the Pentecost-
al baptism, because many have such exaggerated views
of it that when it had answered its purpose of con-
firming the word and was withdrawn from the Church
they think there was little left worth seeking, and fall
back upon such Spiritual endowments, as the Apostles
had before Pentecost, as about all Christians can now
rationally expect. Indeed a distinguished Theological
Professor in a letter to me on the subject argued that
Theological students should not consider this baptism
an indispeusible prerequisite to their going forth from
the Seminary to preach the Gospel. But that rather
40 PARACLETOS.
with the ordinary preparation should go forth under
the General Order, "Go ye into all the world and preach
the Gospel," and expect to receive occasional baptisms
while about their work. I give the sentiment of his
letter. But this was not the Master's view of it. The
\< -
Apostles had spent three years under his personal in-
structions. They were endowed with power to confirm
their words by miracles. They had just spent forty days
with him, listening to his words while he spoke to them
"of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God."
But in spite of all that preparation, in his view, they
lacked a most important preparation. It was richer
endowment of the Holy Spirit ! Accordingly he bade
them seek and obtain it before entering on the sacred
work. Hear his words, "Tarry in Jerusalem till, &c."
Wait for the promise." Commanded that they should
not depart from Jerusalem till "ye have received the
promise." The repeated injunctions, thoroughly em-
phasize the' importance of the Great Gift. The ten
days of prayer for it which followed bespeak its im-
portance also ! Then followed the Gift itself, with its
astounding results ! its effects on the 120 who re-
ceived it ! on the thousands converted ! on the people
of Jerusalem and the devout men who were gathered
PENTECOSTAL BAPTISM. 41
there from every nation under heaven ! Results well
worth those ten days of waiting and of prayer ! Had
our Lord sent forth his disciples, as the Professor
whose sentiments we have quoted would send out his
students, he would have sent them to disaster, defeat,
and discouragement. Their past showed it. They
were timid and weak and they needed a great rein-
forcement from on high before they could make an at-
tack on the entrenchments of the enemy. We see it
in our Church work. The Church must be prepared
for a revival before it can expect one. It must take
the stumbling blocks out of the road. It must be bap-
tized with the Holy Ghost 01 it is not fit to cooperate
with God in winning souls! "Sow not among thorns!"
has been the standing theme of such men as Finney,
and Avery, and Moody, and Mills, and a thousand oth-
er evangelists. Why then should not the candidates for
the Ministry desire and seek a like preparation a bap-
tism of the Spirit, before they enter on the same great
work ?
But the example of our Lord, in this line seems more
striking still ! He, our Great Exemplar, did not enter
on his work of preaching the Kingdom of God, till
he had received in an open and manifest form, the bap-
42 PARACLETOS.
tism of the Holy Spirit ! "John bore record and said,
I saw the Spirit descending from heaven as a dove and
it abode upon him." And in his first recorded sermon,
He said "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he
hath annointed me to preach." And if a being exalted
like Him, with wisdom and miraculous power, and of
life absolutely perfect did not think himself qualified
to preach the glad tidings, till first, specially endowed
by the Holy Ghost if his inspired Apostles also must
have the same great gift, what presumption in us to
enter the work as if qualified without it ! Is it not
going in the face of the most impressive example, in all
the Book of God ? And why, let me ask, was that
great example recorded and set before us? Leaving
these considerations we proceed to lay before the read-
er, other and more direct arguments which we think
fully prove that the outpouring of the Spirit in Pente-
costal richness, was designed Jor our age not less than
for the Apostolic.
1st. Because we need it and must have it for personal
s&nrtificatiw. By sanctification I mean establishment
and confirmation in the ways of God. A Seventh
Chapter of Roman's experience, so largely prevalent
in our Churches, cries piteously towards heaven for an
PENTECOSTAL BAPTISM. 43
endowment of Spiritual power far beyond ^that re-
ceived iu conversion ! That was -precious; a gift be-
yond all price ! It convicted of sin, it led to Christ,
it secured forgiveness. To use a figure of speech, it
delivered us from Pharaoh ! It led us across the Red
Sea, and put a new song in our mouth as we stood on
the other shore ! But is this all our God has for us ?
Are we to stay here in this comparatively barren land
all our days ? No ! No ! there is a land of Canaan
over yonder richer far than this, and itself a type of a
still better land beyond. We need not stay here cours-
ing back and forth in the wilderness of Sinai, strug-
gling with foes and oft times with doubtful success.
True, there is distance and obstacles between us and
our inheritance. But Joshua's and Caleb's have been
over there, and have brought to our sight the fruits of
the land. More over we have a leader who will con-
duct us there, with pillar of clouds by day and of fire
by night ! Rise let us go and take quick possession !
No careful reader of the New Testament has failed to
see that the Pentecostal Baptism, effected a great moral
and Spiritual change in the Apostles and their com-
panions. They were no more vacillating, cowardly, un-
believing and weak. On the other hand they were
44 PARACLETOS.
strong iii the Lord and in the power of his might.
Hear them say "He that is born of God overcomes the
ivorld /" "Greater is he that is in you than he that is
in the world," and "The weapons of our warfare are
not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling
clown of strongholds ; casting down imaginations,
and every high thing which exalts itself against the
knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ ! "Now thanks be
unto God who always causeth us to triumph in Christ."
k 2 Cor. 2 :14. Indeed, sanctification, victory over sin, ho-
liness, is all through the Bible ascribed to the Holy
Spirit. Not that we are inactive in the matter, but the
Great Agency is his. If therefore we would be holy,
we must have the Holy Spirit come and dwell in us.
We must have the Pentecostal baptism. That which
sanctified the Apostles can sanctify us, and nothing
short of it will answer our turn.
'2d. We need the additional endowment to win
others to the Lord. Before the Apostles received it, they
had little power as preachers and conveyancers of
truth to men. They were weak, they were human,
what could they do in a contest with the depravity of
the human heart and all the powers of darkness ?
PENTACOSTAT, BAPTISM. 45
Christ knew their incapacity but told them they
should receive power not many days hence; and bade
them tarry in Jerusalem till that power was given in the
baptism of the Holy Ghost. So.it is with Christians
in modern days, who have to contend with the same
great obstacles; they need and must have the same
Great Helper working with them and speaking through
them with Pentecostal power. Since then we need so
greatly this baptism, both for the work within and that
without, is not the presumption rational, that he who
has done so much else for us, will do this also ? Paul
said, "My God shall supply all you need," and if this is
not our great necessity, who can tell us what that ne-
cessity is ?
3d. The promises of this great gift look beyond
Apostolic days. Peter said, referring to it and it alone.
"The promise is unto you and to your children" This
means, even tying the words down to absolute literal-
ness, the extension of the blessing to the next genera-
tion. But properly interpreted, and according to Bible
usage, it means to your descendants. But he adds "to all
that are afar off" the fair construction is, afar off in
time, as well as in space. But lest we should limit it
to that age, as so many are disposed to do, he adds,
46 PARACLETOS.
"Even to as many as the Lord our God shall call." This
settles the matter. It shows that the offer of the Pen-
tecostal baptism is made to all who hear the Gospel call,
in any age, in any land, be they Jews or Gentiles, bond
or free, young or old, in Asia or Europe, or the Isles of
the Ocean. No matter when or where they shall hear
the Gospel's call, with it also shall go the offer of the bap-
tism of the Holy Ghost ! If then, serious minded reader,
the Lord our God has sent his call to you, to repent,
believe and be forgiven, let me ask you to read and re-
flect on Peter's assurance, that a further gift is in store
for you also such as he and his brethren had just re-
ceived, the Baptism of the Holy Ghost !
And yet again hear the Master say, "I will pray the
Father and he shall give you another Comforter, and
he shall abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth,
whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him
not, neither knoweth him. But ye knew him, for he
dwellcth with you, and shall be in you !" This passage
also I take to mean that the Comforter whom the father
was to send in baptismal power, did not come on a
visit, brief and confined to Apostolic days, but to re-
main through the ages till this world is brought back
to God. His was to be a permanent residence ! He
was "to abide with us forever /"
PENTECOSTAL BAPTISM. 47
4. The Conversion of the Nations, foretold by the proph-
ets as taking place down the ages, far beyond Calvary,
and hard by the millenium, clearly shows a power of
the Holy Ghost, displayed on a scale far beyond
that exhibited at Pentecost! Thus speaks Isaiah
in the 60th Chapter of his prophecy. "The Gen-
tiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the
brightness of thy rising ! Lift up thine eyes round
about and see ! All they gather themselves together !
they come to thee ! Thy sons shall come from far and
thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side ! The abun-
dance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, and the
forces of the Gentiles shall come to thee ! Thy gates
shall be open continually ! they shall not be shut day
nor night, that men may bring unto thee the forces of
the Gentiles, and that their kings may be bought !" In
the 2nd Chapter the same Prophet refering to this
same time, says "It shall come to pass in the last days,
that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be estab-
lished in the top of the mountains and all nations shall
flow into it. And many peoples shall go and say, Come
ye and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to
the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us
his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of
48 PAEACLETOS.
Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord
from Jerusalem, and he shall judge among the nations,
and shall rebuke many peoples, and they shall beat
their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into
pruning-hooks, and nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
Other old testaments prophets foresaw and described
in graphic verse the great revival in which the nations
of the earth, as with one heart shall turn to the Lord !
Paul also speaks of "the fullness of the Gentiles"
coming into the fold of Christ and after that the Jew-
ish nation coming too ! Romans, 11:25.
That this great revival has not occurred is obvious.
That it is yet to occur is certain. The question we pro-
pose is, how is it to be brought about ? The obvious an-
swer is, "the Holy Ghost still abiding in the Churches,
will yet exert a power on the Church and on the na-
tions, far beyond that which Peter witnessed in the
Great Pentecostal revival at Jerusalem! Since this
latter brought to Christ only a few thousands, while
the former is to bring into the kingdom, the great na-
tions of the earth !
5th. Another argument which proves that the Bap-
tism of the Holy Spirit belongs to our age, as well as
PENTACOSTAL BAPTISM. 49
to the Apostolic, and one which seems to us unanswer-
able is the commandment laid upon us, to be filled with
the Spirit. "Be not drunk with wine, but be filled
with the Spirit." This is the Saviour's voice to us, spoken
through his servant, Paul. The command implies the
ability as well as the duty and the privilege. But the
expression "Filled with the Spirit," is the equivalent of
"Baptised with the Holy Ghost." Take a few passages
like the following: "They were fill filled with the Holy
Ghost!" Acts 2: 4. "And they were all filled with the
Holy Ghost and they spake, &c.," "That thou might-
est receive thy sight and befitted with the Holy Ghost."
Acts 9: 17. I need not quote other passages, since the
command to be filled with the Spirit, means that w r e
should receive as large an induement as our capaci-
ties will allow or our cup contain. More than this
Pentecost did not give. Less than this all our limited
capacities can receive and use, will neither meet the
requirement, "be filled with the Spirit," or our obvious
duty and our need. And should any of our brethren
deny the immanence in the Church, of the privilege and
duty of receiving the Pentecostal baptism, they will
surely admit tJie duty and privilege of being filled 'with
the Hob) Spirit. Well, brethren, we will meet you
50 PARACLETOS.
there, and be content, if you will inquire at God's al-
tar, how large a measure of the Spirit received is im-
plied in being filled with Him, and with the further pur-
pose not to rest till that measure is received, and you
are filled with all the fullness of God, and your cup
can contain no more !
One more argument we urge to show that this great
induement belongs to us, equally with the Apostolic
Church. It is that/ro??i that time till now, God has been
raising up witnesses who have confessed the reception of
this baptism, and whose lives and successes have shown
that they were not mistaken. We refer to such emi-
nent workers in the Church as Luther, Zwingle, Wes-
ley, Whitfield, Finney, Mills and Moody, who have told
us how they sought this blessing, and how they
received it. Conspicuous among them was John Wes-
ley. This remarkable man laid the greatest stress up-
on this gift, and even insisted that no preacher was
fitted for his woik, till indued with special power
from on high ! He called it the "full assurance of
faith," and a conscious indwelling of the Spirit. Ac-
cordidgly great numbers of Methodist preachers were
led to seek and receive the great blessing, and hence
the power and unparalleled growth of their Church.
PENTACOSTAL BAPTISM. 51
Beginning but a little over a century ago, preaching
the Gospel to the poor, beside the highways and
hedges, without a house of worship, a college or sem-
inary, they went forward converting sinners, forming
classes of inquirers and converts, ordaining class
leaders, exhorters, preachers and elders, often, and
generally uneducated, but full of faith and the Holy
Spirit, and men in whose mouths burned the tongue of
fire! What has God wrought by these obscure and feeble
men, siace our century began ? Long since they shot
by all other Protestant denominations and left them
far behind, in numbers of churches, communicants and
hearers! Whence this wonderful growth? We ans-
wer, the other Protestant bodies have depended large-
ly on human learning, prestige, patronage and
power, and very little on the Holy Ghost ! Hence
tlieir slow growth and weakness. But with the Metho-
dists, the baptism of the Holy Ghost was everything,
hence their success and in that was the hiding of
their power.
52 PAEACLETOS.
CHAPTER VI.
The Blessings of this Baptism confers upon the Christian
personally.
1st. It will vivify his consciousness of the presence of
God. Why not ? Since in it God says " / will dwell
in them and walk in them!" And this indwelling of
the Spirit is too great a matter to escape a vivid con-
sciousness of a new source of life and power within.
This consciousness of God's presence, is of great impor-
tance in the Christain life. When we have it we are
strong. When it is absent we are weak. God has put
great stress upon it. Hence he has sought to impress
his presence upon us by works of artistic skill, which
meet us wherever we turn, saying, " Lo ! God is here !
behold his handiwork ! " Prayer is largely an effort
on our part to get near to God, in the sense of be-
coming more deeply impressed with a sense of His
presence and love. But in spite of both, a majority of
Christians complain of a lack of this abiding sense of
the Divine presence. Even in closet prayer, while on
their knees they often detect a foi'getf ulness of God,
shocking and sinful. How shall this defect be reme-
died? We reply, the remedy is found alone in the
PERSONAL BLESSINGS. 53
baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, John 14: 16
and 17, "I will pray the Father and He shall give you
another Comforter, and He shall abide with you forever,
even the spirit of truth, for He dwelleth with you and
shall be in you! " And His indwelling will give vivid-
ness and constancy to our sense of His presence. And
there is nothing like the sense of God's presence and
power, to give the Christain strength, confidence and
peace.
2d. This baptism removes all doubts of acceptance.
John says "We know that He abideth in us by the
Spirit He hath given us." And Paul says, " The Spirit
itself beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the
children of God." With this baptism the last doubt
in regard to that great matter takes its final departure.
As well could the Prodigal Son have doubted his re-
conciliation with his father, when clothed from his
ward-robe, sitting at his table, and music and dancing
filling all the house with joy. This inward witness of
acceptance, received on shipboard by Wesley returning
to England from Georgia, was the first token of his hav-
ing been baptised by the Holy Spirit.
3d. This baptism fills the soul with love to God.
Many Christians, and perhaps we may sav all, before its
54 PAEACLETOS.
%
reception are often troubled by a conscious absence of
that love to God which he claims, and which they know
is his proper due. They are conscious of ardent love
of human beings, but alas! the barrenness of the heart
on the side towards God ! And they mourn over it.
And they wonder how it was that David, in that far
back time, could say, " Whom have I in heaven but
thee, and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee !"
Sometimes, indeed, they are conscious of emotions of
love to God, but they are so far short of what they
should be, they derive little comfort therefrom. But
when the baptism comes, and the Holy Ghost enters
the home of the soul, and His train fills the earthly
temple, the things of God and of Christ are so pre-
sented that the fountains of the heart are opened and
love flows forth from God into the soul and ebbs back
from it to Him, and the whole house is filled and
flooded. So it was on the day of Pentecost, and so it
ever has been, is now and ever will be, where this
Great Gift is bestowed. Other means to awaken love
towards God in these sin-frozen hearts of ours, it is
quite proper we should use, but the chief and only ef-
fectual power which will elicit it in fulness, will be the
power from on high the Holy Ghost. This is Bible
PERSONAL BLE'SSINGS. 55
teaching and this is experience an experience we all
need and ail may have, and one we all shall have if we
set our hearts upon it and cry mightily unto God for it.
For there is not one among all His gifts He is more
anxious to bestow. " If ye, then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts to your children, how much more
shall your Father who is in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to them that ask Him."
4th. It greatly quickens the conscience and en-
larges the area of apprehension of right and wrong.
The Holy Spirit becomes our guardian, an instant
prompter when sin and Satan draw nigh. He -cannot
endure to have his temple denied his ward taken
captive and led astray. Accordingly, the baptised soul
instantly sees the rightness or wrongness of a multi-
'tude of things not thought of as such before. Said an
Apostle, " The aunointing ye have received abideth in
you, and ye need not that any man teach you, but as
that same annointing teacheth you of all things and is
truth." And Jesus said, " False prophets should aiise
after Him and deceive, if it were possible, the very
elect." Implying extreme difficulty in their case, if
not absolute impossibility. And that because of an in-
ward light which would reveal to them the wolf though
56 PARACLETOS.
clad in the clothing of a sheep. There is nothing
which will so effectuall} 7 guard people from error as
the entrance within of the Spirit of God. But if we
discard Him the great Teacher and trust to human
learning, and human reason, there is no telling how
far we may go astray. Error will spread in our
Churches in proportion as they become destitute of
vital piety and the Holy Ghost. No creeds can hold
them then, and of what use would it be if they could?
5th. This baptism restores dwarfed and distorted
mental faculties to symmetry and ballance again. Sin
has wrought sad distortions among the faculties of the
human soul. The ancient equilibiium is largely lost.
Lost partly by inheritance from a wicked ancestry, and
in part by our own wicked conduct. Men are lame,
halt, blind, and paralized in mind as well as in body.
And when the Spirit undertakes the work of re-con-
struction, a great work indeed is before him. One is
a giant in intellect, but in sensibility a dwarf.
In another the sensibility is unnaturally developed
and tbe passion of the moment carries all before it I
In another the will power is abnormally developed and
stubborness is characteristic. In another carnality
reigns supreme. But why enumerate, when scarce a
PERSONAL BLESSINGS. 57
man is found who is not conscious of some mental or
moral weakness which limits his usefulness, mars his
character and disturbs his peace. And the perfect
symmetry of the primeval man as lie came forth fresh
from the hand of God, where, Oh where shall we
find it? Alas! the distortions sin has made ! Thanks
to God the Holy Ghost has come, to restore the bal-
ance and repair the wreck. Let me give an example :
While the writer was in the Theological Seminary he
had a class-mate who was a specialist in mathematics.
They were his hobby in college and in the seminary his
taste in that direction was scarcely diminished. And
why he studied Theology, we, his class mates could
scarcely divine, save that an aunt who paid his bills
desired it. I remember how languidly he was wont to
come into our prayer meetings and what an iceberg he
was while there. If he took any part it was so formal,
and so cold. As we neared the time of graduation
and licensure, a great revival occurred, and in it our
friend was visited by the world's Gre it Healer. He
saw as never before, his great defects, and prominent
among them this want of sensibility towards moral and
spiritual things. That part of his nature was torpid
The old hymn expresses his state when it says :
58 PAEACLETOS.
The rocks can rend,
The earth can quake,
The mountains to their centre shake.
Of feeling all things show some sign,
But this unfeeling heart of mine.
Others talked of love but he had none. The Bible
gave him no comfort.
He saw also that this moral torpor must be removed,
or His ministry would be barren. He came to believe
that the Holy Spirit could remove this defect. That it
was one specialty of His mission to restore the lost
ballance sin had made, ancf repair the wreck the Devil
had wrought. Earnestly he sought the assistance of
the Great Helper in this matter. Importunately he
prayed. For nearly a week the struggle lasted. But
it ended in victory. A victory as wonderful to the
writer and probably to the subject of this spirit-heal-
ing, as would have been the restoration of a paralized
arm to its normal condition and use. And we doubt
whether the subjects of the Pentecostal baptism were,
on an average, changed more than he. He was filled
with the Spirit. His tongue was loosed, and he praised
God as the Spirit gave him utterence. In our prayer
meetings he became, after this, one of the first to speak
PERSONAL BLESSINGS. 59
or pray, and God gave him the tongue of fire. Often
his deep feeling quite choked his utterance. In the
years of his subsequent service in the ministry, deep-
feeling on his part, and on that of his hearers, became
a characteristic of his religious services. And so it
was till he was not, for God took him. This example
was not alone in that revival. Others in different lines
of mental and moral derangement received like re-
storation and help.
Allow us to mention another. He was also a Theol-
ogical student. In early life he had been a sailor. I
believe a mid-ship man in the Navy. He had visited
many ports of the world, and like many seamen, had in-
dulged in vices of the lowest type, until his soul as well
as his body had become polluted almost beyond des-
scription. In his deep degredation, the Spirit sought him
out, he was converted and began a course of studies for
the ministry. When I knew him he had reached the
Theological Seminary. But Oh ! the stains still left
behind in the soul, by those sins of his youth. Oh!
the pictures still unerased in the chambers of imagery.
How could they be effaced ? In the great revival the
Pentecost in our Seminary, he came to believe that the
Holy Ghost coming to abide in fullness \\ith him
60 PAEACLETOS.
could cleanse the temple and cast out these loathsome
pictures. Earnestly he asked and the Spirit came and
cast out those odious things and cleansed the Leper.
Thenceforth he became one of the purest men in
thought, in feeling and imagination I ever knew. It
was to him wonderful ! wonderful ! wonderful ! It
was wonderful to us all who were intimate with him
and to whom he told in confidence, what great things
the Lord had done for him. He preached many years,
but has gone to his home and has doubtless realized
the truth of Christ's words, " Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they shall see God. " A Theological Prof-
essor who was very intimate with this man, said to me :
" He was so thoroughly cleansed from his former foul-
ness of thought that I came to regard him as the pur-
est minded man I ever knew. " Brethren, may the
Holy Spirit reveal to each of us our sad defects and the
changes needful to give us symmetry in mental and
moral traits. And in seeking restoration of the lost
balance, may we not, by unbelief limit the Holy one
of Israel. Is it too much to ask the Great Deliverer to
do for us a thing so great ? Paul says of him : " He
is able to do for ns exceeding abundantly above all we
can ask or even think ! "
PERSONAL BLESSINGS. 61
6th. This baptism of the Spirit is indispemible to an
appreciation of the Sacred Scriptures. The 2d Chapter
of 2d Cor. is almost wholly devoted to an elaboration
of this truth. In it Paul says, "For what man know-
eth the things of a man, save the Spirit of Man which
is in him ? Even so the things of God knoweth no
man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not
the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God,
that we may know the things which are freely given us
of God. The natural man receiveth not the things of
the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him,
neither can he know them, for they are Spiritually dis-
cerned."
The Holy Spirit is the world's Great Teacher. And
while He instructs his pupils in all kinds of knowledge,
His especial and most loved work is within moral and
Spiritual lines. Why should it not be ? Since there
are laid the eternal foundations of character, of
growth, of usefulness and happiness. And there our
need of an instructor is great, not alone because of the
superior importance of these things, but because of
the error, and darkness and depravity, which Sin and
Satan have brought into our world. We know it, we
all know it, and feel it at times and cry out for some
G2 PARACLETOS.
one to lead the blind by a way they know not. Then
comes the Holy Helper, and offers us His hand. But
what if we thrust Him away and proudly trust to the
rush-light of human reason to guide us in these great
matters, as the irreligious scientists and unbaptised
teachers of Theology in Germany and Amer-
ica have done and are doing? What, but that
our feet stumble on the dark mountains, and
while we look for light he turns it into the shadow of
death and makes it gross darkness. This need of the
Holy Ghost dwelling in us, to enable us to understand
and appreciate the Scriptures, is witnessed by human
experience. There are millions of people who will
testify, that before conversion the book of God had
little interest to them, but after conversion became the
book above all others, filled with interest and precious
truth. And the more we have of the Spirit's light, the
more golden its pages, and the richer its mines of
truth. Therefore it is that to appreciate this Book of
books we must have the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Knowledge of the ancient languages, of Hebrew,
Greek, Latin and German, can never take its place.
No more can the lore of the library or the discipline
of the schools. Give a man all these and base them
PERSONAL BLESSINGS. 63
on superior natural parts, and he will be a child in the
knowledge of God's word compared with men filled
with the Spirit, like Finney, Moody and Spurgeon-
Standing, therefore, in the light of God's Word, and of
human experience as well, we declare no man fitted to
preach tha Gospel, or to interpret it to others, until he
has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Did not
Christ assume this when he bade the disciples not to go
out to preach till they received it, and when he said of
the Holy Spirit, " When He, the Spirit of Truth is
come He will lead you into all truth."
And ivhen the Spirit did come what a wonderful en-
lightenment the minds of Peter and his fellow-disci-
ples received, in regard to the teachings of the Bible.
Yet how largely is this Divine qualification to preach
or teach theology, ignored in our Churches. For ex-
ample, when our Churches, especially the larger ones
and the most wealthy, want a minister, they usually
look for a man learned, eloquent and attractive. One
who is orthodox according to the standards of their
denomination, one who has pleasing manners, and will
be likely to fill their house of worship, and reduce to a
minimum the financial burden. The ordinary piety,
such as is deemed necessary to Church membership, of
64 PAEACLETOS.
course, is required. But the question, has he received
the baptism of the Holy Spirit since he believed, is never
asked, or deemed of any special importance. His views
regarding water baptism and its proper subjects are
often closely questioned. But the baptism of the Holy
Ghost, or his views regarding that, is passed over as of
no account.
So when we are looking for a man to fill a chair in a
Theological Seminary, we inquire after some one
learned in the theological lore of America, and Eng-
land, and Germany; one who understands the ancient
languages, has fair qualities as a lecturer or teacher,
and the ordinary reputation for piety and orthodoxy*
Satisfied on these points he is inducted into his office
as one fully qualified for his place. When ! Oh ! when
is the question asked, what he knows about this baptism
personally, and when is the question asked even as to
his views of the matter ? So when candidates for li-
cense or ordination come before eclesiastical bodies,
who ever heard of their being asked, "Have you re-
ceived the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" No. A
hundred other questions, not a tenth part as important
are asked and discussed, but that one left out entirely.
But should it happen to be asked, and were the candi-
PERSONAL BLESSINGS. 65
dates to reply that they knew nothing of such bap-
tism, where is there the council, which like the Master
would remand them to the Seminary, till imbued with
power from on high ? True it is, we lay our hands on
them according to the ancient custom. But what does
it mean? Do we expect them through us to receive
the holy baptism, as the Apostles did when they laid
their hands On the converts in Samaria and elsewhere ?
No, this is not the expectation of the candidates, or
of those who thus set them apart to their work.
What is it but a form whose ancient power has long
since departed ? Alas ! How can those who never re-
ceived this gift impart it to others ? "Such as I have
give I thee," is all we can do or say.
7th. Another result of this baptism is the sanctifi-
cation of the body. By this we mean a subjugation of
the passions, virtually constant and complete. " He is
the saviour of the body. " In this baptism the Spirit en-
ters the body and makes it his temple in a special and
larger sense than ever before. Henceforth he is to be
consulted as to its use and is to be appealed unto for
help in the government of its impulses and passions.
And while he will never interfere with the divinely es-
tablished supremacy of the will, He nevertheless as-
66 PAEACLETOS.
sists it in bringing them into subjection to the Divine
will. This is indeed a great victory, the conquest over
the carnal appetites and their subjection to the rules
of conscience and duty. The power of the carnal
forces know all men, especially those who have made
a serious effort to bring them under. This is most
graphically portrayed in the seventh chapter of Ro-
mans, ending in the despairing cry, " Oh ! wretched
man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of
this death?" But when the Holy Spirit enters in
force and takes a part in the conflict, the flesh
weakens and the Spirit triumphs, and the freed soul
says with Paul, " I keep my body under, " and " thanks
be to God who giveth us the victory. " Aud since that
day unnumbered witnesses have risen up and testified
to the power of the indwelling Spirit, to give a victory
over the flesh, they had never found feasible before.
8th. Another blessing which comes with this gift, is
the sanctification of the soul and all its wonderful fac-
ulties. Because the Spirit invests it and them with
influences which work to conform them to the Christ-
like pattern and as Paul says, " Brings into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ. " Bad as is
the work of sin and Satan in the body, it is worse in
PERSONAL BLESSINGS. ' 67
the soul. What a nest of foul things is there ! "What
rebellion, what hatred, what envy, pride and malice !
How filled with unbelief, murmuring, ingratitude,
selfishness and lust. The intellect imbruted ! the will
enslaved ! The conscience seared ! The imagination
roving uncurbed among scenes of corruption and sin!
The sensibilities clinging to things unworthy and re-
jecting God and all things holy " And God saw that
the iniquity of man was great upon the earth and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was
evil and only evil continually ! " To remedy such a
condition of the human soul demands a baptism of
the Spirit, rich Pentecostal and persistent. And no-
thing else will ever do it.
9th. There is nothing like the Baptism of the Holy
Ghost to give a man dauntless courage in declaring God's
truth and standing* by the right in the face of opposi-
tion no matter how great, how relentless and cruel !
If God is in the soul, enthroned there in this baptism,
why should the man be afraid ? David said,
"Though an host should encamp against me my heart
shall not fear. Though war should rise against me,
in this will I be confident." The Apostles before the
baptism were cowardl} 7 like other men, but no sooner
68 - PAEACLETOS.
did they receive this great gift, than they preached
the word with all boldness a boldness that astonished
the multitude and so cowed the rulers and the priest-
hood that when they apprehended them, they did it
carefully and " without violence. " So onward, where-
ever they went preaching Christ and his Gospel, op-
position and cruelty had no terrors to these men, for
the Holy Ghost was in them. Had not Jesus told
them, " When brought before kings and magistrates
take no thought what ye shall say for it is not ye
that speak, but the Holy Ghost that speaketh in you ? "
In the great anti-slavery agitation which occurred
during the half century before the Civil War, how
cowardly the conduct of a vast majority of the minis-
ters and church members in the slave States ! How
fearful about saying a word against the slavery which
surrounded them, albeit like Wesley, they knew it to
be " The sum of all the villainies ! "
And the ministers and Church members of the
North were scarcely less timid than they. Alas ! the
record of cowardice these men have left be-
hind ! Who of them but is ashamed today of the
record then made? Had these men been baptised
with the Holy Spirit, as were Peter and John at Pente-
PEESONAL BLESSINGS. 69
cost, they would have seen with clear vision the gigan-
tic sinfulness of slavery ; they would have held it up
in all its hideousness, before its patrons and their rab-
ble following, and God would have been with them,
and have given power to their words. Possibly a few
of them might have been martyred. But not many.
The hanging of 500 ministers in the South by pro-
slavery mobs and politicians, would have aroused in all
the South a power of conscience and sympathy with
their martyred ministers, against which the nullifiers
and nabobs of the South could not have stood up for
an hour. If ten men of God could have saved Sodom,
five hundred such men could have saved the South ;
saved us the horrors of the war, its carnage of 500,000
men, and its vast financial and moral losses. Indeed,
slavery could never have gotten a foothold in America,
had its preachers fought it with unflinching courage.
But the ten men were not in Sodom, nor the 500 in
all the South. A like want of courage, in the ministry
and Church in the matter of temperance, is today mak-
ing a like record for men and devils to sneer at half a
century hence. O ! for the courage and faith which
says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present
help in trouble ! therefore we will not fear tho' the
70 PARACLETOS.
earth be removed ! though the mountains be carried
into the midst of the sea ! tho' the waters thereof
roar and be troubled, and the mountains shake with
the swelling thereof !" O ! for a seeking of such cour-
age as Peter sought and found in the baptism of the
Holy Ghost! Alas! the moral cowardice which so
largely pervades our pulpits, and annually comes forth
from our seminaries. Once fill these men with a sense
of the Infinite God in them, and Peter's and Paul's
courage would instantly leap into the saddle all along
the line, the hosts of heaven would join them, and
victory and conquest be wide-spread and speedy.
10th. The baptism of the Spirit imparts a new
unction and power in prayer. I have known Chri stains
and even ministers, whose prayers seemed forced and
formal, an official service they must needs go through,
in obedience to the demands of custom, and one which
was neither blessed to themselves or others. Some
foHow a round of topics, with little variation from year
to year. Others supply the want of spontaneity an d
the spirits promptings, by the use of a book of prayers
written a century ago and abounding in antique and
sonorous phrases.
Others there are, who hasten to the mercy seat, as if
PERSONAL BLESSINGS. 71
a great attraction drew them there! They love to pray
and it is with a special unction that they sing, " Sweet
hour of prayer ! sweet hour of prayer!" They have
joy and liberty in prayer. Nor they alone ! Others
are uplifted thereby ! Often more than by the sermon
which preceds or follows. I have heard people say,
" That prayer was the best of all the service to-day ! "
Oh ! the value of these prayers in the Holy Ghost,
which bring people into the Audience Chamber of God !
No preacher is fit for its most important work unless
he knows what it is to " pray in the Holy Ghost " and
have the Spirit help his infirmities. No doubt Peter
and John and James and the rest could pray with an
unction after the baptism they never had before. Even
so it is today. In nearly all our Churches there are
men and women of limited education and slow of
speech, everywhere else, save at the mercy seat.
There the tongue is loosed and with remarkable ability
and propriety, they pour forth their wants and those of
the people before God. What propriety of expression !
and often a wealth of imagery, not their own but evi-
dently of God. But more startling still is the power
which attends the prayer. We are told of the dying
master whose pampered pastor had tried in vain to
72 PAEACLETOS.
help him in bis dying struggle, who sent to the field
for the slave, " Tom," to come and pray for him. When
Tom came in, hat in hand, barefoot and covered with
sweat and dust, the dying master grasped his hand like
a drowingman and said, "Tom your master is a great
sinner. God won't hear his cry for mercy. But I
have stood outside your cabin and heard you pray and
I felt that God was hearing you. Can you pray for
your dying master? And how the aged field hand
Tom bowed and talked with God and how the Holy
Ghost came down and brought salvation to the d} T ing
man. Finney in his auto-Biography, often speaks of
" Father Nash " an old man who attended the great
revival meetings in Western New York, whose prayers
carried with them results wonderful, Divine. The
prayers of John Knox have a world wide fame. Such
prayers are among the gifts imparted in the Pentecostal
baptism. No Christain should rest until he knows
what it is to pray in the Hoh r Ghost.
llth. this after conversion induement confirms ux
in the way of holiness. This is Bible testimony and
experience also. Says Paul in Eph. 1 : 13, " In whom
(Christ) after ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy
Spirit of promise. " The holy Spirit of promise refers
PERSONAL BLESSINGS. 73
to the promised baptism of the Holy Ghost, inaugurated
at Pentecost. He came " after they believed " and His
coming sealed them for God's service and kingdom
In another letter, that to the Corinthians, 2d Cor. 1 : 22,
He says, "Now he that established us with you in Christ,
and hath annointed us is God, Who also hath sealed us
and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. "
In this he tells us, that not alone does that Gift of the
Spirit seal, or confirm us as Children of God, but
brings us a foretaste of the heavenly life. This sealing
is signally set forth in the case of the Apostles and
those who received its first installment. Vacillating,
weak and easily turned aside before, now they move
off before us with a strength of purpose and firmness
of step, which shows the strengthening and healing
power of the Holy Ghost. And as it was with them
so it has been with thousands since, who have sought
for and received the same blessing. And if we desire
this sealing, this confirmation in God's service, we
must seek it in the Holy Baptism administered by that
Great High Priest who alone baptises with the Holy
Ghost and with fire.
1 2th. Finally the baptism of the Holy Ghost, creating
and maintaining a high degree of spirituality in our
74 PARACLETOS.
Churches, alone will keep them from gross departures
from the standards of Orthodoxy, the Bible and true
religion. The spiritual man believes the Bible. It is
luminous to him. The Holy Ghost has made it so. All
its doctrines just fit his nature and wants. It furnishes
spiritual food as plainly from heaven, as the manna that
sustained Israel for forty years. He needs the Bible
revelation of a heavenly Father's love and care. He
needs and must have Jesus, the God-man as his re-
deemer, and he cannot live without the Holy Spirit
resident in his very bod}^ sanctifying it and helping him
to control its turbulent passions, and his language is,
" How sweet are thy words to my taste sweeter than
the honey and the honey comb. " Once let him become
cold in his love and remiss in duty, and skepticism
begins to creep in insidiously and gain larger and lar-
ger place, till at last seven devils more wicked than
the first enter in and take possession of the house where
once an Orthodox life and unwavering faith walked
hand in hand lovingly toward heaven Confessions of
faith, ir^n-clad creeds, never yet kept a denomination
or a Church, or an individual from wandering from
the great standard of truth and falling into heresies
absurd and fatal. But let the Holy Ghost enter an
PERSONAL BLESSINGS. 75
Apostate Church or a skeptics heart and how swift the
return to the path of truth and the obvious teachings
of God's holy word.
Illustrations of this abound in the history of nearly
all our revivals of religion. We will give one out of
a thousand which could be given. A Unitarian law-
yer of eminence, called upon Mr. Finney while en-
gaged in revival labors in Rochester, New York, and
proposed to discuss with him the question of our
Lord's Divinity. Mr. Finney said I will do so, provided,
you will kneel down with me and pledge yourself to
the Lord, that from this time on you will follow the
light" so fast as He reveals it. The lawyer was angry,
and denounced the evangelist as cowardly and ungen-
tlemanly. A legal friend suggested that Mr. Finney's
request was rational, for said he, "Of what use would
it be for him to spend his valuable time in communi-
cating further truth to a man, who don't follow the
light he now has, and will not promise to follow the
further light which may dawn upon him. " I think it
was the Judge at whose bar he was wont to plead who
said this. After some days of struggle between his
pride of opinion and position on one side, and his con-
science and the Spirit on the other, the lawyer entered
76 PAEACLETOS.
his office, barred the door, and on his knees surren-
dered himself to the leadings of conscience and the
Holy Spirit. And then, the sight of sinfulness and
guilt immeasurable, a lif elon g alienation from God, a
rejection of infinite claims arose in gigantic propor-
tions before him. Could such a sinner as he be par-
doned ? And then he saw that the Jesus of Unitari-
anism was not enough for him. He needed the God-
man to meet a case like his, and when he had found
him, he rushed into the evangelist's room and said,
"Now I know that Jesus is Divine, for none but an in-
finite Savior could atone for such sins as mine. " "Who-
ever shall do my will he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God." Brethren, solicitous about the
orthodoxy of the Church, behold its great Conservator.
It is the Holy Ghost ; the Spirit of Truth. Once in
the soul, the letter will not long be wanting there.
AIDING THE WOEKER. 77
CHAPTER VII.
How this great blessing adds to our ability to do good to
others.
The personal blessings we have been considering
imparted in the holy baptism, cannot be con-
fined to ourselves. The candle lighted from
heaven refuses to be hid under a bushel. It shines on
ail around. Each of the personal gifts enumerated in
the foregoing chapter has its outgoing influence
adopted to bless as many as it shall reach. But there
are certain other advantages it gives to Christians and
ministers of the Gospel, to which we desire to call
special attention.
1st. The recipient of this blessing will know how to
lead others up into it. In all our churches there are
men and women hungry for this higher blessing.
Their pastor should be to them a Joshua or a Caleb,
who has been over into the promised land and therefore
knows the way and can lead them there. And sadly
lacking is the pre icher who has no experience in this
line, having only received the first installment of
spiritual power that which accompanies the ordinary
78 PAEACLETOS.
conversion. In this matter he is a blind guide. And
when his people come to him and ask him about the
higher heights of Christain experience, he is obliged to
say, " I know nothing of them, I have not been there. "
I a in reminded of a. clergyman who under great dis-
tress of mind, because of his spiritual weakness and
carnality, his leanness within and barrenness without,
went to the President of a noted Theological Seminary
for counsel. He opened his heart to the President,
who asked him, after all, if he regarded himself as a
Christain ? And when our friend replied in the affir-
mative, he closed the interview by saying, " We here
have come to regard the ordinary Christain as a pretty good
thing. " As the inquiring minister left the President's
study, he asked himself, " Is this poor pittance which I
enjoy, all the rich Gospel was designed to give ? " and
he came back and told me the story, a discouraged and
almost broken hearted man. Brother- preacher, when
your hungry flock come to you with like questions, must
you for want of experience answer them in like
manner ? And " when they ask for bread, give them a
stone. "
2d. As a rule also it will give him a fertility of
speech, an aptness of illustration, and a power in ap-
AIDING THE WORKER. 79
peal, which he will feel is imparted by the Spirit.
Others, too, will be in like manner impressed. Paul
recognizes this and its great importance, when he asks
the Ephesian Church to pray for him, "that utterance
might be given him, that he might open his mouth boldly,
to make known the mystery of the Gospel." The Pen-
tecostal baptism gave to Peter and all his brethren a
power of utterance to which they had been straogers
heretofore. And the tongue of fire that sat upon each,
was a type of the new power of speech the Spirit im-
parted. Jesus promised this help of the Spirit in
speech when he said, "It shall be given you in that hour
what ye shall speak ! For it is not ye that speak, but the
Spirit of your Father which speaketh in yon" Matt. 10:
Spurgeon and Moody and Finney, and all successful
evangelists and many others, recognize this great help
of the Spirit in their work. Spurgeon used often to
pause in mid-discourse, and placing his hand on his
brow, would say " Brethren, pray for me, I must have
more of the power of the Holy Ghost." Finney did
the same. We do not claim that those who have re-
ceived this baptism at all times are conscious of this
help, this unction from the Holy Spirit in speech. I
judge Paul did not at times, for he tells the Corinthians,
80 PARACLETOS.
how he "was with them in iveakness, and in fear, and in
much trembling." He confesses that in speech he was
rude, (2 Cor. 11: 6) and that his alienated brethren
said "his speech was contemptible." I judge he was
not always remarkable for eloquence. But Paul tells
us that however weak he might appear in speech, the
Holy Ghost so much the more gave power to his words,
and made them successful, and God was the more glori-
fied thereby. Not uufrequently the Holy Spirit is do-
ing his mightiest work in the congregation when the
preacher is imagining his address a failure. Why this
occasional absence of unction, we may not fully know,
but that it answers important purposes we can plainly
see. We will mention some which occur to us. 1. It
deepens the sense of gratitude for the gift when it is
enjoyed. The State of Grace is contrasted so vividly
in our experience with that of Nature. 2. It serves
as a reminder of our personal weakness. It bids us
cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils and de-
pend wholly on God. 3. It serves the great purpose
of maintaining the Spirit of prayer in a Church for its
pastor, while he dispenses the Word. Thus when the
Spirit of prayer began to flag in Spurgeon's congrega-
tion, and when he put his hand upon his brow and
PERSONAL BLESSINGS. 81
said, "Brethren, pray for me, I need more help from
above," then a thousand heads were bowed, the help
came ; the preachers strength was renewed and God
was glorified. This was a very common occurrence in
Mr. Finney's labors. Away back in Moses' time, we
find the same feature of Divine working forcibly pre-
sented. It is recorded in Ex. 17: 11 and 12, "And it
came to pass when Moses held up his hands Israel pre-
vailed, and when he let down his hands Amalek pre-
vailed. But Moses hands were heavy, and Aaron and
HUT stayed up his hands, the one on the one side and the
other on the other side, and his hands were steady un-
til the going down of the sun, and Joshua discomfitted
Amalek." So ever since, the Heralds of Divine truth,
although the} T had been annointed and Baptised by the
Holy Ghost, have been greatly dependent for sustained
unction on the prayers of the brethren. The Holy
Spirit thus by the occasional weakening of the preach-
er's hands, teaching the brethren to be constant in
prayer. Of this I feel certain, that this occasional ab-
sence of conscious help from the Spirit, cannot in all
cases be charged to some overt act of Sin.
3d. The baptism of the Spirit will give the preacher
great confidence in the Gospel and the remedies it of-
82 PAEACLETOS.
fers. All about in his field he will find men groaning
under the power of sin. Men who have striven often
and long to break its dominion over them, but have
failed. And now courage and confidence almost gone,
they are inclined to give up the struggle and float
downward with the stream. But if the preacher
evinces in his confident words and in his holy life, his
faith in One Mighty to Save such men will come to
him, as once Nicademus came to Jesus, by night,' to
ask him how deliverance can be obtained. Blessed my
brother will you be, if with a strong voice, you can tell
them the story of your own deliverance and give them
the assurance that he who saved you, can save them
also. So too it will be when you stand before the
people declaring all the words of this Divine life if
you can add, " / speak what I know and testify to
lohat I have seen. " The experience of a baptism of the
Holy Ghost forms a background of confidence in
preaching, nothing else can supply.
4th. We do not see how a preacher can select
wisely his field of labor unless he lives on most inti-
mate terms of communion with God. We believe the
Holy Spirit will indicate to the preacher who walks close
with him Him, where his proper field is, and where it
AIDING THE WORKER. 83
is not, as He did to Paul and Phillip. And that it is
these spiritual indications which should determine this
matter and not the wedge of gold or the Babylonian
garment. So too his messages will be suggested and
opened to him by that Spirit, which all abroad in his
congregation knows the message needed.
oth. This baptism will impart force to the preacher's
words and carry conviction of their truth to the
hearer's heart. After Jesus had been inducted into the
preacher's office by the baptism of water at Jordan and
by the Holy Ghost, we are told that his hearers were
astonished at His teaching, for His word was with
power. The Apostles before they received the baptism
at Pentacost, spoke only as men endowed with the or-
dinary and natural unction. After it with an effect as-
tonishing and a force well nigh irresistible ! They
were endowed with power from on high. This new
and enlarged power of the Spirit attending their labors
was their great dependance, as from Jerusalem they
wentfoith to preach repentance to a sin-loving world.
Paul says, " My speech and my preaching was not with
persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of
the Spirit and of power. " 1 Cor. 2:4. To the Thessa-
lonians he writes, " Our Gospel came not unto you in
84 PARACLETOS.
word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost,"
1. Thess. 1:5. Moody says after seeking this baptism
and receiving it, " I went to preaching again. The
sermons were not different. I did not present new
truths. And yet hundreds were converted ! I would
not now be placed back where I was before that blessed
experience if 'you would give me all Glasgow. " Rev.
B. Fay Mills gives similar testimony and ascribes the
marvellous success attending his evangelistic labors to
a baptism of the Holy Ghost, received some years after
his conversion. Brethren in the ministry, have you
received this power Christ promised the disciples ? Can
you obtain it ? Have you sought it as for hidden
treasure? Can you do ^our work without it? Let
me suggest that you not only set your heart on gaming
it, but ask some of your devout brothers and sisters to
help you in prayer to God that you may receive the
annointing and that they pray for you while you
preach. Let me add that almost without exception,
the men of power in all our denominations laboring
now or in the past, have confessed their indebtedness
to a special baptism received in answer to fervent
prayer, for their great success and the power which at-
tended their speech.
AIDING THE WOEKEE. 85
6th. This alliance of the Holy Spirit with the soul
of man, was designed to afford important aid in ones
calling, ivhatever it may be. The man who works in
the coal mine and the woman at the washtub, can each
expect the Holy Spirit's aid as truly as the min-
ister in the cathedral or the monarch on his throne.
So that he may do his work the better and with richer
enjoyment, because of the great gift. O ! for the time
when the farmer, the tradesman, the blacksmith, the
doctor, the lawyer and the politician shall each conse-
crate his business to God and cry mightily to Him, to
set apart by a special baptism, himself and his business
to His glory ! No doubt the average Christian prays
for and expects a measure of Divine aid in his work. A
small measure at least. What we plead for is the
larger measure, the cup full and overflowing, made
possible, where our Redeemer ascended on high, lead-
ing captivity captive and giving gifts to men. Few
there are who do not feel at times that they are living
far below their privilege. The writer once said to a mem-
ber of his Church, "Dr. S., what a mighty man you would
be if baptised with the Holy Spirit and your powers were
fully awakened, sanctified and brought into action ! "
He made no reply, and as he walked away I fancied I
86 PARACLETOS.
had offended him. Some days after, meeting me, he
said, " No, I am not half the man I ought to be. And
as the spirit of the Lord often stirred up Sampson be-
tween Dan and Bethel before his great power was de-
veloped, so it is with me. The Holy Ghost often re-
proves me for my imbecility and barrenness, and tells
me what I might be and ought to be. But alas ! The
vision passes and I subside back within the old lines of
spiritual weakness and inefficiency. The full grown
man in Christ, endowed with His strength and power, I
am not and fear I never shall be." Alas! Who can
measure this vast reservoir of latent power in our
Churches ? How shall it be developed, brought forth
and applied to the world's conversion ? Our answer is,
The baptism of the Holy Ghost alone will do it. That
which made the early Churches so mighty in doing the
work of God the baptism of the Holy Spirit, that and
that alone will develop this power with God and men.
But that day will never come, till the Churches of God
come to believe that such a blessing is in store for them
and seek after it in faith and an importunity like that
evinced in the great ten-days prayer meeting which pre-
ceded its first bestowal.
TEEMS OF BESTOWAL. 87
CHAPTEK VIII.
We pass now to consider the terms on which the Great Gift
is bestowed.
1st. We must pray for it as a definite indaement of-
fered by Christ to his people. li stands out before us
as quite distinct from the measure bestowed in conver-
sion, in the prophecy of Joel. So also in the Saviour's
promise of it in the After Passover discourse. And it
was treated as such, by the disciples in the ten-day's
prayer meeting, held by them in Jerusalem, before the
blessing came. For it they waited. For it they prayed,
nor would they leave the holy city until it came ! And
in that waiting, and in that praying for ten successive
days, for a blessing supplementary to conversion, what
an example they left behind, for the imitation of the
Church iu the subsequent ages ! God loves to have us
pray for definite objects. Such prayers mean some-
thing. General prayers very little. And when the
prayer for a specific object is answered, then we know
that God hath heard us, and our faith is strengthened.
88 PARACLETOS.
Had the Apostles and their brethren in that upper
room, neglected to concentrate their united petitions
on the great blessing promised, and for which they
were required to wait ; and had they spent their time
in prayers for other and general objects of human
need, would they have received it ? In the writer's opin-
ion, they would not. In all revivals of religion, it is
the prayer/or definite objects the Spirit indites and the
Spirit answers. In a town the writer once visited,
there lived a Presbyterian minister, noted for his con-
servatism and love of order. In a revival which visit-
ed his people, he became very anxious for the conver-
sion of a lady parishioner. After a very earnest con-
versation with her at her house, he called upon an El-
der to pray. Now the Elder had his round of orderly
prayer and he was proceeding with his routine of con-
fession, ascription, thanksgiving, etc., when the
minister cried out, "Yes, Yes, Lord, but
what we want now is Mrs. 's conversion!"
And that is the way this gift comes to men if it comes
at all. It is definitely prayed for, definitely sought and
definitely bestowed. And if in its coming, it brings
the wealth of gifts narrated in a previous chapter, it is
worthy of such seeking and they who will not so seek
TEEMS OF BESTOWAL. 89
it, it is not fit that they should obtain it. If this view
be correct, is it any marvel that so few of our ministers
and Church members receive the blessing, since so
little is said about it, in the pulpit or in the seminary,
that the great majority have no very definite views
regarding it? The rule for the acquisition of this great
gift is thus given by the wise man: "If thou criest after
knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding,
if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as
for hidden treasure, then shall thou understand the
fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. "
2d. Another condition of its bestowal is persevering
and importunate prayer. This feature of prevailing
prayer is very impressively brought to view in different
parts of the Bible. There is Jacob's all night wrestling
with the Angel, and the morning's persistency, when
halting on his dislocated thigh he cried out, "/ will
not let thee go until thou bless me. " There is the Syro-
Phenician woman, following Jesus so long and refusing
to be turned back by the rebuking disciples and even
the Master's apparent rejection of her suit for a time.
More to the point still stands out before us that ten
days prayer meeting, in which the disciples daily met,
and continued to pray till the blessing came. Who
90 PAEACLETOS.
ever heard of a prayer meeting so long and for one
definite object before or since ? We are told that im-
mediately after the ascension of our Lord from Mount
Olivet, the disciples returned to the city, went up into
an upper room and began to pray and prepare for the
Great Gift, which the Saviour had promised to send
from the Father. They continued thus to meet for
prayer and conference over the matter, until the morn-
ing of the tenth day when the answer came. That
they were tempted to give up the search before the
ten days had passed, cannot be doubted, for they were
human. God be praised that they did not. And
whensoever the modern Church shall accept the proph-
ecy of Joel as applicable to it, in all its essential rich-
ness, and shall seek for the great blessing with the
purpose to obtain it evinced in those ten days of con-
ference and prayer, then we may lift up our eyes, for
the blessing will be at hand. Possibly some reader
may wonder at the withholding of this most important
endowment so long. They ask, " Why was it not be-
stowed at once, when the first prayer was offered for it
in that upper room ? Or at least after one day of
prayer, and thus have saved nine days of valuable time
for preaching the Gospel ? " We reply, 1st. The time
TEEMS OF BESTOWAL. 91
required in the seeking was suggestive of the great val-
ue of the gift. The gift is wonderful ! The Holy
Spirit coming to take up his residence in our poor
dwelling ! In the bestowal ought not God to require
efforts on our part, which show that we appreciate the
gift ? 2d. In those ten days of prayer, the disciples
were being prepared to receive the Heavenly resident,
as is the broken ground for the seed and for the
shower. Step by step God was revealing to each of
them, in clearer and yet clearer vision, a personal des-
titution and weakness, the Holy Ghost alone could
remedy. And thus when he should come, awaken a
degree of gratitude, which else has not been felt and
returned to God.
Another reason for the delay, and for the earnest
and protracted seeking required was, that so sought
and obtained, they would be more careful to cherish
and hold it fast. What costs us little is lightly prized.
What costs us much, is, as a rule, tenaciously retained.
Other reasons there doubtless are in the mind of
God, for earnest and often protracted seeking, before
we receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. God has
set a price upon wisdom and a thousand other blessings
and time and effort are indispensible conditions of at-
92 PAEACLETOS.
taininent, and why should this be an exception ? Why
should not the effort to gain it be proportioned to its
value ? If we are not willing to strive earnestly and
long if need be for so great a gift, is it safe that God
should entrust us with it ? But lest this long seeking
and prayer by the Apostles for the gift before they
received it, should lead the Church of subsequent ages
and Christains of all conditions, to anticipate a similar
delay in their case, we are immediately given examples
of its quick reception after prayer and effort for it.
Such was the case of the Samaritan converts, on whom
Peter and John laid their hands and prayed, and they
received the Holy Ghost. Such was that of the Gentile
Cornelius and his family, who received the Holy Bap-
tism under the first sermon which Peter preached. So
it was with those partially enlightened disciples at
Ephesus, who had not so much as heard that the Holy
Ghost had been given. Under a single discourse upon
the matter, the^f sought and received it. These are ex-
terior boundaries drawn for us, encouraging the seeker
to hope for its quick reception; but if delayed, to per-
severe, assured that he will reap if he faints not. Thus
it is in modern Christain experience; some receive the
gift the baptism, after a brief seeking and some per-
TERMS OF BESTOWAL. 93
haps on the very day of conversion. Others climb
slowly upon the rock, with many a backward slip and
fall, before their feet are establised there. Their ex-
perience seems well described by Job, when he says,
" Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and back-
ward, but I cannot perceive Him, On the right hand
where He doth work, but I cannot behold him ! He
hideth Himself on the right hand that I cannot see
Him ! But He knoweth the way that I take when He
hath tried me I shall come forth as Gold" Job. 23: 10.
3d. The gift must be sought in faith. "Without faith
it is impossible to please God." "He that cometh to
God must believe that he is, and that he is a re warder
of those who diligently seek him." To be successful in
this matter, the seeker must believe in view of the evi-
dence before him, that there is such an after-conversion
induement in store for God's people. And this faith
is in part intellectual and in part volitional. The in-
tellect affirming the proof sufficient, that God has of-
fered to his people this larger measure of the Spirit
spoken of. The will pledging hearty support and co-
operation in efforts to obtain it. The doubter will not
succeed. Let not that man think he shall receive any-
thing from the Lord. The faith we are now speaking of
94 PAEACLETOS.
is generic, and though of vast importance, is to be dis-
tinguished from the more specific and appropriating
faith to be considered further on.
4th. Another Condition, is the purpose to give the
Spirit entire sway, in the control of our persons and
affairs. He will brook no rival on the throne when He
comes to reign within. It is an additional realm He
proposes to add to our domain, and a new and larger
consecration is suitable and is demanded. And hence
in the experience of receivers of this, double portion
of the Spirit, there has usually been at the threshold,
a struggle of soul like that at conversion, as if the
Saviour stood before them saying, "Are ye able to
drink of the cup that I drink of, and to be baptised
with the baptism that I am baptised with"? Nor is the
gift bestowed, till consent is given and the consecra-
tion made.
5th. Another very important condition of its be-
stowment is a purpose to make suitable confession of
God's mercy in the gift, after it has been received.
" Come," said the Psalmist : " All ye that fear the Lord
and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul."
Said Paul : "With the heart man believeth unto right-
eousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto Sal-
TERMS OF BESTOWAL. 95
vation." Rom. 10: 10. The Baptism the Apostles re-
ceived at Pentecost, they freely confessed before the
world, and Luke was inspired to record it. Wherever
they went, they testified to this supplementary gift of
the Holy Ghost, as a part of their witness of what
Christ had done for them, and was ready to do for
others. And if J -there be such a gift for the Lord's
people, and we have received it, why should we not
confess it to the glory of God, and encourage others
to seek the same ? A purpose to keep still about it,
and not confess it, we all know is fatal to a sinner's ef-
fort to find God. Not less so is the effort to gain this
baptism, while our proud heart is purposed to hide the
lamp under a bushel ! This is the testimony given to
UB by nearly all the men of power, whose experiences
in this line have come down to us. We need not adopt
any specific phraseology. We need not say we are "per-
fect," or have "perfect love," or are "wholly sanctified,"
or have lived such and such lengths of time without
sin. No! No! this is not our meaning. To the writer
all these terms are more or less objectionable. But we
can confess that we have received a Baptism of the
Holy Ghost. Have obtained thereby victories over be-
seting sins, never found practicable before. That we
96 PAEACLETOS.
have a peace which passes our power of utterance
are enabled to live for considerable periods of time
with a conscience void of offense towards God and
man, and that we know by blessed experience the force
of the words " His name shall be called Jesus, for He
shall save His people from their sins." Be the terms
what they may, they must involve a frank and fearless
confession of the great blessing, or God will count us
unfit to receive it. Not a few receivers of this gift,
have made confession of having been long held back
from it, by the fear of man the loss of eclesiastical
standing, and the censure of men they held in pro-
found respect. And not till this was overcome, and
reputation was laid on the Altar of Sacrifice was the
gift received. But thousands come up to that high
barrier, as once Israel came to Kadesh Barnea, stopped
there, and turned back into the wilderness again ! The
fear of man bringeth a snare.
6th. The final conditions, we mention, on which
the baptism of the Spirit is imparted, is a personal ap-
plication of the promise. We will designate the exer-
cise we have in mind appropriating faith.
Thus it is taught in the Bible. " Whatsoever things
ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them
TEEMS OF BESTOWAL. 97
and ye shall have them. " Mark. II: 24. " And this is
the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any-
thing according to His will he heareth us. And if we
know that He heareth us, we know that we have the
petitions that we desired of Him." John. 5: 15 and 16.
" If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who
giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it
shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing
wavering, for he that wavereth is like a wave of the
sea, driven by the wind and tossed. Let not that man
think that he shall receive anything from the Lord. "
James 1 : 5, 7. This faith is yet more strongly placed
before us by our Saviour in Mark 11: 23, " Have faith
in God. For verily I say unto you, whosover shall say
to this mountain, be thou removed and be thou cast
into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall
believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass,
he shall have whatsoever he saith. " All these passages
enjoin the faith of expectancy, or as we have
designated it above, appropriating faith before
its reception. The last passage startles us !
A mountain plucked up by the roots by faith and
cast into the sea ! Of course it is a figurative
mountain, a moral mountain, Christ has in view. The
98 PAEACLETOS.
natural mountains are well enough where they are. It
is only those moral mountains, which rise between our
souls and duty our souls and heaven, that need to be
torn up and cast away. And the duty taught is that
when we ask the Lord to help us remove them
from the path to Him and heaven, that we shall not
doubt that he hears us, begins at once the work, and will
cast them into the sea, if we hold fast without wavering
our faith. This faith is immensely important. The
want of it shuts great multitudes out of the kingdom
of God and out of the enjoyment of religion. Great
multitudes of serious minded men and of convicted
sinners, go by themselves to pray; they confess their
sins, they try to give their hearts to God, they ask help
from above and then insttad of believing in the mercy
and generosity of God, and relying on His simple word,
they look after some feeling or experience, before they
cast themselves on His mercy and take Him at His
word and march off in the performance of duty. They
seek after a sign. Whereas the thing to be done in
such an hour, is to believe. Repentance first, belief
second, and neither acceptable without the other.
So it is with this great Messianic Gift, of a double
portion of the Divine Spirit. If we want it weare to
TEEMS OF BESTOWAL. 99
ask for it, read what God has said about it, awaken
ourselves to the importance of receiving it, and when
we begin to pray for it, believe that God is deeply in-
terested in our receiving it, and then and there loving-
ly takes our hand and will lead us into it, if we persevere
and faint not. This is the road to it, the path which,
if pursued will lead one to where he shall be filled with
the Holy Ghost. In conversing on this subject, some
days since with a clergyman, he said in substance, " I
have been seeking after this blessing of which you
speak, I have been searching after those sins of heart
which limit the work of the Spirit in me and through
me. I have tried to consecrate myself anew, I have
asked for the Holy Baptism, I have done so again and
again, but I do not obtain it I remain the same as I
have been for years! Tell me, what is in the way
What more can I do ? " I replied, you can believe. What
you should have done after the consecration you speak
of, was to believe that then and there your -loving and in-
finitely interested Heavenly Father did join hands with
you and say, " It is enough " / accept the consecration.
Do not question my generosity and love, but rise up,
ask for light and expect it. When a duty comes be-
fore you, ask me to" help you to lean on my arm.
100 PARACLETOS.
When the Tempter assails, fight him not alone, but call on
the name of the Lord. " And when I repeated to my
friend the words of Jesus, "Whatsoever ye desire
when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall
have them," and asked, did you believe that you were
receiving them ? He shook his head and said, " I did
not." And when I asked what advice he would give to
a sinner who was trying to give up all to God's con-
trol and had done so as far as he could see, but got no
relief, the obvious answer was, "I would tell him to be-
lieve that God did accept him for it cannot be that God
will not accept a soul that is intent on a life of loyalty
and love. I would tell him to have faith in God. To
give firm credit to God's representation of himself in
His word."
If to this it be objected that we may be deceived in
the matter of consecration, albeit we may sincerely
strive to give up all and think we have done so. We
reply this is scarcely possible, for it cannot be that
God, who is so deeply interested in our salvation, will
fail to show us wherein we come short, when He sees
us desirous of seeing our sin and putting it away.
What would we do in case of our child, desirous of
knowing if anything he did was offensive ? We would
TERMS OF BESTOWAL. 101
surely make it known to him. One passage of God's
Word shows what God will do in such a case. " If in
anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal
even this to you." At the shout of faith the walls of
Jericho fell and the people went up and took full pos-
session ! They believed and shouted victory before a
stone fell ! This faith of expectancy, or appropriating
faith, has been to the writer for many years, a matter
of great practical utility. He has been in the habit
daily, and almost hourly, of seeking help from the
Holy Spirit. And when he asks, of affirming to him-
self "He hears and answers my prayer, and he begins now.''
May the writer add that with that prayer and faith,
answers have come with surprising uniformity and
quickness too. So uniform has this experience been,
that the language of Paul seems most appropriate in
his case "The life that I live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God," Gal. 2: 20.
We should not infer that God does not design to an-
swer our prayer, because it is not fully done at once.
The pious Israelites prayed while in captivity for restora-
tion to the promised land, and the rebuilding of the Holy
City and Temple. And their prayers were indited by
the Holy Spirit. But it took years to bring about the an-
102 PAEACLETOS.
swer while God was raising up Cyrus and Darius to be
His instruments in doing it. We pray for crops of grain,
but it takes time and various agencies to bring about
the answer. The words to Daniel are in point, "From
the first day that thou didst set thine heart to under-
stand and chasten thyself before God, thy words were
heard. But the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia
withstood me one and twenty days," Dan. 10: 12. The
answer begins when the prayer of faith begins, in all
matters acceptable to God. Let us then seek the great
induement, assured at the outset, that it is in store for
us ; that God is deeply interested in our obtaining it,
and that we shall not fail save through half hearted-
ness or unbelief. He longs to draw nigh to us and
have us draw nigh to him in a blessed experience,
which shall have more than the power of miracles, in
revealing to us the presence of God, His sympathy,
His love, and G-reat Salvation ! For this great blessing
with a quiet faith, look ! look ! look to God for a leading
thereto. Thus Spurgeon gained the victory and the
power. And as you look, believe in the love that calls
and urges. Seek not for a sign. "Blessed are they that
have not seen, and yet have believed !"
TEEMS OF BESTOWAL. 103
Before leaving this part of our subject, it may be
well to caution the seeker against forming plans as to
the experiences which shall attend upon the coming
blessing. If he does, he will be likely to be disappoin-
ted. " My ways are not you ways saith the Lord. " As
it is with conversion, so it is with this super- added
gift. Rarely are the anticipated gifts realized in either
case, when the blessing comes. Two essential things
are to be looked for. They are, 1st. Victory over sin-
ful propensities by a power that has come to dwell
within us. And 2d. Unction and help in Christain
work. If you have these two things, then you have re-
ceived the baptism. And this leads me to add, that
as many Christains cannot tell when they entered upon
the narrow way, or how they W 7 ere led into it, so many
have received this baptism by steps so gradual that they
cannot point to any special experience marking the
event. What matters it, so long as in either case they
have the treasure? The writer was once conversing
on this subject with a brother beloved in the ministry,
and he turned and said to me sadly, " Brother, I have
had no such experiences as those you speak of, although
I feel that God helps me in my work and in my inward
warfare. " I replied, " Your consistent life, we all ad-
104 PAEACLETOS.
mire. It affords ample evidence to us that you have
passed from death unto life and that the mighty Helper
is the strength of your arm. And whenever I hear
you preach, I feel deeply impressed with the conviction
that the Holy Ghost has developed in your heart the
truth you are preaching and is aiding you in its deliv-
ery. And so it is when you pray, the Holy Ghost as-
sists you. " But while there are many such cases as
these, the great majority will gain the gift, by a direct
and conscious seeking. And it is undoubtedly the
privilege of all, sooner or later, to be so filled with the
Spirit, that every doubt on this matter shall pass away
forever.
THE BAPTISM IDENTIFIED. 105
CHAPTEK IX.
The Gift distinguished from its Counterfeits.
In this world so largely ruled by the father of lies,
counterfeits are common. There are false prophets,
false Christs and false Gods ! Preachers in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly ravenous wolves, abound.
There are sham conversions, and even men pretending
to have received this last Great Gift of the Spirit,
whose claims are spurious and whose examples have
brought the doctrine into reproach. Nevertheless the
foundation of God standeth sure, and we can plant our
feet upon it, and distinguish between the solid rock
and a heap of sand. Real gold has abiding constitu-
ents that base metals and imitations never possess.
1st. The baptism of the Holy Ghost causes its
beneficiaries to adhere tenaciously to the Bible, because
He inspired it. Holy men of old who wrote it, spoke
and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
And when He enters a soul, it is not to lead it to re
pudiate His own words, or to treat them lightly.
106 PAEACLETOS.
Christ prayed "Sanctify them through thy truth thy
ivord is truth. Show me then a man who substitutes
his own fancies for the obvious teachings of God's
Word, or has loose views regarding its authority, and
I will show you one who is still in his sins, and has not
the Spirit. The central sentiment of those who have
received Him is thus expressed, "To the law and to the
testimony, if they speak not according to his Word, it
is because there is no light in them."
2nd. Another distinguishing feature of the Holy
Baptism is, an increased affection for the Church of God,
and a firm adhesion to it. I mean, of course, true
Churches, such as believe in Conversion, in the Bible,
and in Christ. Albeit men receiving this Gift, see
more clearly than before, the low grounds on which
most of their brethren are walking, they do not separ-
ate themselves from them saying, "Depart from me for
I am holier than thou." But with loving sympathy
akin to that of the Master, and inspired by the Holy
Ghost, they abide with them, and seek to lead them up
to the heights of privilege above. How lovingly Peter
and John went to those in Samaria, converted under
Phillip, but had not received the great blessing, took
them by the hand, greeted them lovingly, and prayed
THE BAPTISM IDENTIFIED. 107,
for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. And
so wherever the preachers of those days went, they
gathered the converts, instructed them in their privi-
leges, and sought to lead them into the possession.
Depend upon it therefore, that when professed receiv-
ers of this blessing withdraw from their Church con-
nections, voluntarily, and unforced, another Spirit than
that of love actuates them, and it is another baptism
diverse from that of the Holy Ghosfc, which has fallen
on them. Says Jude, "There be they who separate
themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit I "
3d. The true Baptism is eminently, charitable in the
modern sense of that word, while the false is sensorious
and given to severe criticism and judging. "Charity
thinketh no evil. " It ""covers a multitude of sins. "
The more of Divinity there is in a man's soul, the more
his heart is filled with love to God and his brethren.
He will not judge them coldly and without sympathy.
How lovingly and tenderly Paul speaks of his brethren
of the Jewish Church in Eom. 9thJ: " I say the truth in
Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing me witness in
the Holy Ghost, that I have ,great heaviness and contin-
ual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish myself accur-
sed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen accord-
108 PABACLETOS..
ing to the flesh, who are Israelites," &c. Such a spirit
is given a man when the Pentecostal blessing comes
and stays with him, while he enjoys it. When there-
fore, a man professing to have received this gift be-
comes a sharp critic on his brethren and delights in
parading their faults before others, you may safely
regard his experience, as at heart, only a counterfeit of
the true coin of heaven.
4th. The genuine baptism leads to increased activ-
ity in all useful lines and in all Gospel work. How
quickly the Apostles went to work, after the baptism
came upon them ! Paul received the blessing and
what a life of labor he entered upon at once. So in
these last days, when men like Moody, Finney, Spur-
geon and Mills receive this gift, then the great work of
life begins. Whittier well says :
"Not to ease or aimless quiet,
Doth the inward answer tend,
But the works of love and duty,
As our beings end."
Wherever this baptism is professedly received, if it
does not lead to increased activity and unselfish labors,
where it leaves a man selfishly ruminating on his per-
sonal security and rich experiences, content to see
THE BAPTISM IDENTIFIED. 109
others drift down the stream while he is on the shore,
there we may be sure the Great Pentecostal blessing
never came. It is only a counterfeit.
5th. Greatly enlarged fruitfulness is another feature,
which distinguishes the true annointing from the false.
Manifestly, the original and primal advent of this gift
upon the Apostles and early Christians greatly increased
their moral and spiritual fruitfulness. What multitudes
were converted under their labors ! Jesus said, John
15: 5, "He that abidethin Me and I in him the same
bringeth forth much fruit." And again, "Herein is my
Father glorified, that ye bear much frui.t " More for-
cible still and entirely conclusive on this point are the
words of Jesus, recorded in John 7: 38, 39. "He that
believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his
belly shall -flow rivers of living water] But this spake
He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him
should receive, for the Holy Ghost was not yet given,
because Jesus was not yet glorified. " This immensely
rich promise affirms a vast increase of spiritual power
and fertility, ever attending the Baptism of the Holy
Spirit, Why should it not be so, when to our natural
power, there is added that of the Holy Spirit ? Shall I
be more specific in elucidating this part of our sub-
ject? Let me say then :
110 PAEACLETOS.
1st. When you pray, you will have a consciousness
that the Holy Spirit helps you and others will feel it
too. God will seem to them very near !
2d. When you speak in testimony or exhortation
God will help you and make your words impressive.
3d. Your very silence, will at times impress people
more stroDgly than words could do, that God is with
you, enabling you to control the unruly member.
4th. Your exemplary and conscientious conduct,
will after a time impress those who look on and see it
with the reality and practibility of the religion you
profess. You may not see much of it on earth, but
you will in heaven. For your prayers are all laid up,
your tears bottled, your words of warning registered
and your general influence the Holy Ghost is gathering
in a cloud above, which by and by will descend in
showers of blessings. Only believe, thou baptised
child of God, persevere in prayer and labor and you will
yet see the verity of Christ's words, " He that abideth
in me the same bringeth forth much fruit. " But the
counterfeit baptism beareth only briars and thorns.
" Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. "
HOW RETAINED. Ill
CHAPTER X.
How can the savor of this Baptism be obtained^ And is
it ever lost ?
retained f
We have before shown that it exerts a power-
ful sealing influence. Many passages affirm this.
We need not repeat them here. In accord with
them, is the testimony of Christian experience.
The Baptism once enjoyed can never be forgotten ! Its
peace, its joy, its victory and communion with God,
will remain engraved on the memory, as doubtless are
pictures of heaven on the minds of the Angels who
fell ! Life ever after will be to such, as was captivity
and slavery to Israel, when they sang so sadly, "By the
rivers of Babylon, there we sat down! Yea, we wept
when we remembered Zion ! We hanged our harps
upon the willows in the midst thereof ! How shall we
sing the Loid's song in a strange land !" And this
sweet memory of liberty lost, will lead to many a stout
uprising against the powers that oppress. And in
some of them, most likely the lost ground will be re-
gained. Hence in part the recovering and sealing
112 PAEACLETOS.
power of the Gift, when once received. And hence while
great numbers go back who have received in conversion
the first installment of spiritual power, those who receive
the second, with few exceptions, hold on their way.
Yet we have reason to believe, there are sad exceptions
to the rule. Paul intimates this when in his letter to
the Church ID Gallatia he asks, " Are ye so foolish,
having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect
in the flesh ? " And in the exhortation, not to " quench
the Spirit whereby they had been sealed , " he cer-
tainly intimates that even such are in danger. And
more strongly still he warns against the danger when
he says, " It is impossible for those who have tasted
the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy
Ghost, if they fall away to renew them again unto re-
pentance. " We think we have known some such dur-
ing an observation of nearly seventy years, who evi-
dently received the Great Gift, ran well for a time, and
afterward relapsed, finally and fatally. We call to
mind one, who received, apparently, this blessing.
God annointed him to preach; for a time he ran well;
God blessed his labors, and souls were converted under
his preaching. But his views were sharply criticised by
his brethren, wrongfully I think, both as to the assaults
HOW RETAINED. 113
on his Theology and in the spirit of severe censure
manifested. He retaliated, withdrew from the Church
and went off with a faction, which finally broke up and
was scattered to the four winds. Poor man ! He is
dead now, but I fear he never regained the height from
which he fell.
I knew yet another, who while in the Theological
Seminary, seemed to receive richly of this gift, and for
a time seemed to walk in heavenly places in Christ.
But when he went to preach where his father lived,
south of Mason an Dixon's line, he was fiercely perse-
cuted and driven from his native State on account of
his views of slavery. And north of that line, even in
the free States he was shut out of Orthodox pulpits, as-
sailed by the mob and caricatured by the press. By
degrees his spirit become soured, his tongue censorious
and vituperative. He left the Church, denounced it un-
sparingly and finally lost all faith in the Bible and I
believe in God. Such cases, though rare are sufficient-
ly numerous, to warn us that as once the angels fell
from their lofty principalities, so even eminently sancti-
fied men, are liable to fall from their steadfastness.
On the question, how shall the savor of this holy
annointing be retained ? We reply :
114' PAEACLETOS.
1st. By retaining a perpetual sense of dependence on
the Indwelling Spirit. The convert who commences his
religious life in conscious weakness, looking wholly to
God for help, finds himself sustained. But when he
has waxen strong and became fortified, as he thinks, by
experience and knowledge and Chiistain association?
and leans on them, then his strength departs and his
enemy assails and overcomes him. So also is the man
of Pentecostal endowments shorn of his strength, when
he fancies himself so rooted and grounded in character
that no wind of temptation will ever overthrow him.
This was the fatal mistake of a noted sect of modern
Perfectionists, now nearly extinct. They held that they
had asked God to make their faith perpetual and had
exercised faith that He would, and that therefore the
banner of holiness was nailed to mast head, and fall-
ing into sin thenceforth was impossible ! To retain
our standing, there must be preserved a perpetual sense
of personal weakness and absolute dependence on the
Holy Helper. Nor will continual watchfulness, prayer
and effort become obsolete, while we are in the flesh
and in a world of Devils and sin.
2d. To retain the blessing, we must seek a constant
growth Forgetting the things behind, we must press
HOW RETAINED. 115
forward to those before. Even after this baptism there
remains much land to be possessed. Said Paul,
" Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but
this one thing I do, forgeting the things behind and
reaching forward to those before, I press toward the
mark for the prise of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus. " It will not therefore do for the man who has
received this baptism to rest on his laurels, but like an
army to which the King has sent a great re-enforce-
ment, it must lift its tents and march forward to larger
conquests. So must he seek growth and enlargement
and richer and yet richer acquisitions. Says the
Psalmist, " He shall be like a tree planted by the
rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his
season ; " and Isaiah, " They go from strength to
strength;" and Paul, " We all with open face behold
ing as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed
into the same image, from glory to glory ! Even as by
the Spirit of the Lord ! "
116 PABACLETOS.
CHAPTER XI.
The attitude the Church in its varied organizations should
take with relation to this Baptism of the Spirit.
PROFESSORS OF THEOLOGICAL SEMINARIES.
We will begin with the Professors in our Theological
seminaries. Brethren, we have a profound respect for
you and your calling and an ideal of possibilities of
usefulness before you, it will be difficult fully to express.
We believe God has put within your reach the power
to quadruple the influence of the next generation of
missionaries and preachers of the Gospel. Into your
hands God has placed the power of moulding the men,
intellectually and spiritually, who, going forth from
the seminary, year by year, are to break the bread of
life to the Churches and the people of the world. The
mark of your hand will be upon them and their work
so long as they live. Their Theology will, with an ex-
ception here and there, be your Theology. Your con-
TO THEOLOGICAL PROFESSORS. 117
ception of Christ, their conception. Your views of the
Holy Spirit's work, their views. And your experience
of his power to sanctify, empower for work and fill
with the fullness of God, will go forth with them into
their fields and be the living model present and im-
pressive, all their days ! Nor will your influence in
this respect, terminate with them, but will travel on,
transmitted from hand to hand, to generations unborn.
And if there be a class in the Church of God, more im-
portant than any other, around which our Churches
should gather to offer up special prayer in their be-
half, that class is made up of the Professors in our
Theological seminaries. Possibly some may deny that
their influence and power is so great. To this we re-
ply. If it is not, it ought to be. Yes, and it can be and
will be if the Professor is filled with the Spirit as it is
his privilege to be. Who ever spent an hour in Fin-
ney's Theological lecture room and was not impressed
with the power of his prayer, and the manifest pres-
ence of the Holy Spirit there ? Brethren of the sem-
inary, the actuality of your influence is one thing, the
possibilities are quite another ! Suffer the writer to
make some suggestions as to your duty in relation to
this Baptism of the Spirit.
118 PARACLETOS.
1st. You need it personally in the . fulness of its
power. You sit in Moses' seat. You need the power
which rested on him, and you can have it in largest
measure if you will. Your communion with God may
be so blissful, that when you come from the closet be-
fore your classes as Moses from the Mount, so will
your face shine, that you will need to vail an experi-
ence too bright to utter. Moody said the experience of
this Baptism he had in New York, was too rich and sa-
cred for specific description. So it may be with you.
And if any need to know, in largest measure what this
blessed Baptism is, they are the successors of Peter
and John and Paul, who like them are to hand down to
generations below them, the Gospel in its fullness of
experience and doctrine and power. If Peter and
Paul needed this baptism, can you do without it ? If
Jesus must have it, can you dispense with its aid?
2nd. Let it be a cardinal doctrine of the Seminary,
that the Holy Ghost is the Great Instructor in your
school, presiding over every study every lecture, ev-
ery session ! So important is this doctrine of the
Spirit's teaching and illumination of the inspired
Word, that in the writer's estimation, especial attention
to the matter should be among the first doctrines
TO THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS. 119
taught, and deeply impressed upon students as they
enter the school. Let your school be emphatically the
the school of the Holy Ghost.
3d. May the writer urge upon you special lectures
and studies upon this topic, so that your graduates may
no more come forth from the Seminary, with no definite
opinions or views regarding it, as has heretofore been
true. It is too great a matter to be thus ignored and
pushed into the back ground.
4th. Insist upon the indispensableness of this bap-
tism as a qualification for preaching the Gospel.
And do not recommend a man for licensure or
ordination till he gives evidence of having been or-
dained and endued with power from on high. Suffer
the advice of your brother thus far, and when the
chariots shall come to take you up, may Elijahs mantle
fall from the shoulders of each of you upon the sons
of the Prophets.
A WORD WITH THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS.
The attitude of the Theological students of our
country in relation to the subject we are discussing,
stands next in importance to that occupied by their
Professors and teachers. Indeed, they are soon to take
120 PARACLETOS.
their places and teach Theology to another and a
larger generation. It is the hope of the writer, and
indeed his expectation, that they will be more devout
than their fathers, will have a larger experience of the
Spirit's power, and do an immense work in leading our
Churches up into the higher life. We cannot be far
off from the millennium that perenial hope of the
Church, and you, the Theological students of the
twentieth century, and the last decade of the nine-
teenth, may have the golden privilege as well as respon-
sibility, of completing the conquest of the world for
Christ. But depend upon it, brethren, institutions of
learning will never do it, nor logic, nor eloquence, nor
any and all possible organized institutions and so-
cieties of men. Nay, without the Holy Ghost inspiring
them, they may hinder the Gospel more than help it.
Witness the Theological Seminaries of Germany and
other parts of the world. Your own personal exper-
ience has doubtless taught you that victory over be-
seting sins is not insured by favoring circumstances,
nor yet by dint of the human will. Nothing brings
victory in that warfare, but the Holy Spirit coming to
our aid. Just so is it with the larger warfare,
between the Church and the world. Unless the Holy
TO THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS. 121
Ghost goes forth with the people of God, they are as
surely defeated, as were the Israelites when Jehovah
went not forth with their armies. What then is the
great thing you need? It is the indwelling Holy
Spirit. And you need Him in richest measure. And
the burden of this appeal to you is that you seek His
indwelling and bestowments in Pentecostal fullness.
That you give the Holy Spirit possession of the whole
house. Don't turn Him off with a room or two. Nor
like Israel, rest on your arms, while there remain large
territories of the land of promise yet unoccupied and
unsubdued. If you have read carefully the considera-
tions brought forward in chapter 5th, adduced to prove
that a Baptism of the Holy Ghost, like that bestowed
at Pentecost was designed for the modern Church as well
as the Apostolic in all essential elements, I am pur-
suaded you must believe there are great gifts in store
for God's people, sadly ignored, neglected and un-
sought. But should you fail to agree with us there,
we shall surely be at one in the admission of the duty
and privilege of being "filled with the Spirit. " May
the Lord show you how much that implies, and pour
upon you the Spirit from on high till with David you
say, " My cup runneth over ! " Were the Thelogical
122 PAEACLETOS.
students of the world thus to seek and thus to find,
what life and power would be imparted to our Churches
and revivals would fill the land !
Suffer me again to call your attention to that sample-
seeking of the Spirit, which at Pentecost brought the
blessing upon the Apostles and their brethren. Our
Lord was crucified on Friday. On Sunday, which was
the second day of the passover week, he arose early from
the dead. That was the day when the first sheaf of
the opening harvest was waived before the Lord. Lev.
23: 11. Fifty days from that waiving came the Pass-
over festival. Lev. 23: 16. We are told that after
his resurection, Christ was seen of the disciples for 40
days. Acts 1 : 3. Then he led them out as far as Bethany,
where he was parted from them and ascended up into
heaven. This leaves ten days before the feast of Pen-
tecost. Among his last words were these "Behold I
send the promise of my father upon you, but tarr*y
ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with
power from on high." This power was that which ac-
companied the Pentecostal outpouring of the Spirit.
The disciples returned to Jerusalem, and at once went
up into an upper room, and began a meeting of prayer
for the great blessing. Did it come at once ? No ! not
TO THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS. 123
in answer to the first prayer, and not at the end of the
first day of prayer. Will it come tomorrow the sec-
ond day ? The Master has not said. They pray on
and talk over the matter till the sun has set, and still
the blessing lingers. A third day of prayer and con-
ference over the matter and it does not come ! a fourth!
a fifth ! a sixth ! a seventh ! and still it is withheld !
What can it mean ? No doubt the faith of some is
weak and faltering. Perhaps some of the faint-heart-
ed suggest there must be some misunderstanding of
Christ's words, and they had best give up the so far
unsuccessful search. But stronger faith of others held
them to the promise. Meantime in their talk over the
situation their small numbers the power of their
foes their personal imperfctions the artifices of the
world, the flesh, and the Devil, all arrayed against
them more and more the sense of need pressed upon
them, and more and more they could appreciate the
value of the gift when it should come. They were
ripening for the reception. The ground was being
broken up and prepared for the shower which was
gathering. Thus they entered on another week of
prayer. Three days pass in it, but it has not reached
them ! But it is coming ! The pressure of an inward
124 PAEACLETOS.
importunity gives assurance that it is at the doors.
Early on the morning of the tenth day they hasten to
that upper room and with one accord lift up their
voices to God ! It is enough ! Their faith has been
sufficiently tried. The gift comes down and they are
all filled with the Holy Ghost and speak the word
with a power unknown before. Let me call your atten-
tion specially to the length of time occupied in this
prayer meeting for this blessing before it came. It
was a long prayer meeting. Few have been like it.
Who knows of one in the history of the modern
Church ? How puerile beside it, the usual preparation
for a revival ! Perhaps the long course of preparation
inaugurated by Rev. B. Fay Mills in the cities where
he is subsequently to hold revival meetings, resembles it;
as did similar preparatory meetings insisted upon by
Rev. John T. Avery and other evangelists. But those
latter imitations come far short of the original in in-
tensity of purpose and in the time actually spent in fer-
vent prayer for the gift. Yet those ten days were the
most profitable of all in their past history. Perhaps of
their future also. What changes they wrought in the
men and women who were there ! Changes in exper-
iences and in power to do good ! What if they had
TO THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS. 125
faltered and ceased to pray for the gift at the end of
the first week? Then Pentecost to them had never
come ! And at the end of the ninth day of fervent
seeking and patient waiting, had they given it up as a
fruitless search, how sad the failure ! No doubt they
were tempted to do so before the Lord saw fit to crown
with glory that ten days probation of prayer ! What
an example, rare and suggestive, our Lord holds up
before those who in the after ages should set their
hearts on the reception of the same great gift. It sug-
gests the holding of some such prayer meetings in our
modern Theolological Seminaries for the like endow-
ment ! Conducted aright, I believe they would be fol-
lowed by surprising results. If held once in a year,
in all our Churches and colleges, and seminaries, I be-
lieve this world would be essentially evangelized, and
the millennium brought in, in an hundred years.
Brethren of the Seminary, Students and Professors,
allow me to suggest a program of topics to be prayed
over and considered during those ten days. I would
suggest two daily sessions forenoon and afternoon,
and the evening spent by each in his room alone with
God, in private prayer, heart-searching, and meditation.
126 PARACLETOS.
Day 1st. A solemn convocation of Students and'
Professors, and spent largely in prayer for the Holy
Spirit to make those ten days blessed and eventful like
those which preceded the day of Pentecost..
Day 2nd. The passages relating to the Baptism of the
Holy Ghost in the Old Testament and the new, care-
fully read, considered and prayed over. Very likely this
to be satisfactory, would occupy the sessions of two
days and perhaps more.
Day 3d. Personal experiences and testimony given,
of answers to prayer, and helps received from the
Holy Ghost with the view of ascei taining, how much
larger help we may hopefully seek from him, in these
and other lines.
Day 4th. Personal confessions of beseting sins, not
yet conquered advice asked and given as to the way
to victory.
Day 5th. Extracts read and considered relating to
the baptism of the Spirit, found in the biographies of
such men as Wesley, Finney, Taylor, Spurgeon, Mad-
ame Guion, Tennant, Brawnwell and others.
Day 6th. Sermons from preachers who have definite
views and experiences relating to it. ,
TO THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS. 127
Day 7th. The Spiritual experiences and measures of
the Spirit a man must have to be an effective preacher of
the Gospel.
Day 8th. What constitutes a call to preach the Gospel
and on what principles shall one make choice of his
field of labor ?
Day 9th. 'Revivals, by what means brought about, and
how converts and church members can be kept from
backsliding.
Day 10th. Review of the meetings testimonies
given as to their value, and helps received therefrom.
Of course, brethren, you will regard the above on]y
as a rough and suggestive outline, and to be varied
as maturer thought or circumstances may suggest.
What the writer desires is that you in your seminary
try once, at least, the result of following the Apostolic ex-
ample. He has never known but one such, or nearly
such prayer meeting. And of that he will give an ac-
count as he remembers it. During his Theological
course, a special vacation of one week was given the
students. Some took a limited outing and others
stayed at home. Of the latter, there were a few, who,
dissatisfied with their religious condition, agreed to
128 PAEACLETOS.
spend the week in an effort to draw near to , God and
seek a baptism of the Spirit and an elevation to a high-
er plane of holy living. I think there were half a doz-
en or so of such, who on the first day of vacation,
quietly went into the Theological lecture room to pray.
They were in earnest and God met them. As they
began te pray, the Holy Ghost helped them to a vivid
view of their great necessities. And they prayed, con-
sciously aided by a power from above, with an impor-
tuity which could not be denied. And this power in
prayer fell upon all. When the noon bell rang they
rose and went out, but how softly they walked ! In
the afternoon there were perhaps twenty, who heard of
the meeting and were drawn there by a mysterious
power. And now the power of God was more mani-
fest still ! The spirit of prayer carried all before it.
The next day the room was crowded and mingled with
agonizing prayers and struggles for deliverance, there
were voices of joy and gladness, almost shoutings of
deliverance, from men who but yesterday were clank-
ing the chains of sin. I had been out some fifteen
miles with a friend. But news reached us of the great
work of God among our school mates and I hastened
back, to see a sight Pentecostal and astonishing ! In-
TO THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS. 129
deed, it lacked little of a literal repetition of that noted
day ! For they were all of one accord. We -were as-
tonished at the unwonted power with which they spoke
and praised God as the Spirit gave them utterance.
They spoke as with tongues of fire ! And miracles of
deliverance from the bondage of sin, were performed
by the mighty Spirit which was there. The work con-
tinued through the week, when the usual studies were
resumed. But the influence of that prayer meeting
long remained. My class mates, who at that meeting-
gained deliverance from sins, which had long annoyed
and clung tenaciously to them, carried their credentials
of emancipation all their days. Two of them whom I
now have in mind, received the tongue of fire. Thence-
forth they spoke as men whose hearts were full. Full
of love to God and zeal for souls. They have gone
home now. But being dead, they yet speak. Breth-
ren of the seminary, the ten days prayer meeting over
the topics suggested is quite in the line of your
studies. The time thus spent would not be thrown
away. It might bring blessings as great as did that
memorable Apostolic prayer meeting. The bare possi-
bility of it, is an ample warrant for following the great
example.
130 PAEACLETOS.
TO THE MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL.
1st. Brethren : I have somewhat to say to you
the angels of the Churches the embassadors of
the Lord Jesus. Having myself been a preacher
for the space of half a century, I know some-
what of your needs, your heart yearnings and
your trials. Of your needs, in order to greatest effi-
ciency, that which I mention first is this reception of a
double portion of the Divine Spirit. Comparatively
fruitless were the Apostles, though endowed with mir-
aculous powers, until they received the Holy Baptism
at Pentecost. After that, a converting and sanctifying
power attended their labors, which made them ten
fold more effective than before. So it was with Moses
and Joshua and Elijah and David and Sampson and all
the prophets of the Old Testament. But when the
Spirit of the Lord came upon them there was an im-
mense augmentation of their power. So it has been
from Pentecost down to our era. Men and women
like Madame Guion, Mrs. Kogers, Luther, Wesley,
Whitfield, Finney, Spurgeon, Moody and Mills, sought
this larger endowment; some of them, if not all with
strong crying and tears, and they obtained it, many of
TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL. 131
them with an experience too sacred to be specifically
described. Thenceforth their labors were attended
with wonderful success. Let me call your attention to
a single passage of Scripture, where success is strongly
promised. John 7: 38, 39, " He that believeth on me,
as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow
rivers of living water ! This spake he of the Spirit
which they that believe on him should receive, for the
Holy Ghost was not yet given. " This remarkable pas-
sage gives promise of an immense influence for good,
possible to the believer. Elvers of living waters flow-
ing from him ! Not a mere rill of the water of life !
Not a brook! nor rivulet, but a river ! And not one
only, but rivers of living waters! Brother preacher,
this is an assurance for your encouragement. It was
intended to make you dissatisfied with small results
and to inspire in you a hunger and thirst after such an
additional endowment, that you should go and bear
much fruit. " Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear
much fruit. " But did Jesus mean that this immense,
this royal fruit bearing, set forth under the figure of
" rivers of water " flowing from the believer, should at-
tend the steps of Christians only partially endowed as
were the Apostles when these words were spoken ?
132 PARACLETOS.
Far from it ! For inspiration adds, " This spake he of
the Spirit which they should receive who believe on Him,
for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because the Son
of man was not yet glorified. " That is, this promise
of enlarged usefulness was to characterize those and
those only, who should receive the Holy Ghost in the
rich measures bestowed on the day of Pentecost ! The
cases of the Apostles, of Moody, of Millls and Spur-
geon illustrate this. But on what condition did the
Apostles receive the great endowment which made
them so fruitful ? They sought it. They prayed ten
days for it. Their persistency of prayer and waiting
for it so long, showed their earnestness and importunity
and faith in Him who had promised It is safe to say
they never would have received it, had that importunity,
that faith and that seeking definitely for this blessing
been wanting.
Brethren, have you thus sought this endowment of
power foretold by Joel and promised by our Lord ?
Have you heeded the lesson taught by the Pentecostal
object lesson God has hung up in the vestibule of the
Christain temple ? If not, is it strange that only rills
flow from you, instead of rivers of living waters, as was
true of Christ's own disciples before Pentecost and its
TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL. 133
baptism^ Heed not the idea that this great gift is not
de%i4rily to be sought. Go up into that upper' room
and listen to those earnest prayers. "What is it they
are praying for ? It is for power. Don't imagine your-
self equipped for preaching by years of study in col-
lege or in the seminary. No, not even had you mir-
aculous power added thereto and such piety and meas-
ures of the Spirit, as the Apostles had before Pentecost.
" Tarry in Jerusalem till ye be endued with power
from on high. " Advice that higher than that of your
Theological Professor. I beseech you heed it. Like
David say, " I will not give sleep to mine eyes nor
slumber to my eyelids till I have found a place for the
Lord, a habitation for the God of Jacob" a place in my
heart where his Spirit in fullness can dwell and through
me do all his pleasure. So shall the Holy Ghost enter
and his train shall fill the temple. Thenceforth shall
flow forth from you rivers of living waters. One shall
flow through your family, refreshing it and making it
like a watered garden ! Another shall run through
your Church and Congregation, strengthening Chris-
tians, converting sinners, and repressing sin.
Through your correspondence shall flow another
river. And through the elesiastical body with which
134 PARACLETOS.
you associate will flow yet another, and all these shall
roll onward, long after the man who set them in mo-
tion has passed away, thus bringing to pass the say-
ing "He that abide th in me the same bringeth forth
much fruit."
2nd. The next thing that we as Preachers need, in
order to success, is a Church in like manner endowed
and cooperating with us. All successful Evangelists
and winners of souls to Christ . have felt this. But
how shall we lead the flock, except we first, like Joshua,
go over into the promised land, and thus become quali-
fied to conduct our brethren there ? So did Peter, and
John, and Phillip, and Stephen, and Paul, and thus
were qualified to lay their hands on their brethren and
they also received the Holy Ghost. The husbandman
that laboreth must first be partaker of the fruits.
3d. Let me ask you brethren, are you satisfied with
the Spiritual Condition of our Churches ? Do the
meagre results of preaching and labor in them, as re-
ported in the Annual Statistics, satisfy you ? Many of
our Churches hardly keeping up with the depletions
by deaths and removals, and the entire denomination
adding on an average, scarce half a dozen to a Church !
Vast is the machinery employed, but small the output !
TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL. 135
Alas ! Where is the success of the early Church ?
Where is Pentecost ? Where the Baptism of the Holy
Ghost ? To come nearer home brethren, does your
personal success fill out your ideal of the power
which should attend Christ's Embassador ? Do you feel
that power fills your study, fills your desk, fills your
heart and the house of God where you preach the Gos-
pel ? Have you in your Church Aarons and Hurs whose
hearts follow you in pastoral visitation, in the prepara-
tion of your discourses ; and while you preach, do you
see heads bow in prayer for you, that the Spirit of God
may carry home your words? Have you instructed
your people into their high privileges under Pentecost-
al endowments? Have you ever preached to them one
sermon on the Baptism of the Holy Ghost ? If not, is
it not high noon day for opening before them this
great matter ? Oh ! How we each need a rich per-
sonal experience of the blessing to lead others there !
Say not I am alone and have no helpers to aid me
in rising to these Gospel heights ! Quite possibly, even
in your Churches there may be hidden ones, who like
the two holy women Moody speaks of as aiding him so
much, are praying for you, that you may be endowed
with the power. Seek them out and ask them to pray
136 PAEACLETOS.
for you that you may obtain the double portion and
pray for you also when you preach. No helpers !
Where is the Holy Ghost? Where the arm of the
Lord ? And where the exceeding great and precious
promises ? O ! for some Elijah at our side > to pray,
." Lord open this man's eyes that he may see I And the
-Lord opened the young man's eyes and he saw and
behold the whole mountain was full of horses and
chariots of fire round about Elijah ! " With helps
so mighty, let us rise to our privileges and take
possession.
TO OUR BAPTIST BRETHREN.
We bear you record, brethren, that you have an es-
pecial zeal for what you believe to be the proper mode
of baptism, and the proper subjects. But there are
two kinds of Baptism that of water and that of the
Holy Ghost. The one a Symbol, the other is the Sub-
stance. The one a great reality, the other only its
shadow ! Man administers one, God the other. The
difference in their value and relative importance, no
tongue can tell.
John the Baptizer is held in high repute by our
Baptist friends. Let us hear what he has to say on
TO THE BAPTISTS. 137
this important matter. Matt. 3: 11. " I indeed bap-
tize you with water unto repentance. Bat he that,
cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am un-
worthy to bear. He shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and
with fire." Following Matthew, each of the other Evan-
gelists repeats in his Gospel this most emphatic testimo-
ny of John, to the infinitely superior importance of the
Baptism of the Holy Ghost And the intent of thus
putting John's words in all the Gospels was, that no one
who should read but one of them, should ever question
the superior importance of being baptised with the
Holy Ghost over that of a baptism of water. The
Apostles, before Pentecost had been baptised with
water, and doubtless at the hands of Jesus Himself.
But that did little towards making them in heart or
hand what they needs must be to do the work before
them. That was accomplished in the baptism of the
Holy Ghost. And brethren, the promise of that bap-
tism, in all its essential richness, .is to you and to your
ch ildren and all that are afar off, even to as many as
the Lord our God shall call. How much you need it
to sanctify your heart and life and to give you power in
speech and prayer ! How much your membership in
the Church needs it also ! Yet, how have you treated
138 PARACLETOS.
it ? You have honored John's baptism ; how have you
treated Christ s? You have preached on water baptism,
many, many times ! Did you ever preach one sermon
on that of the Holy Spirit ? You have urged men to be
immersed, that is, the body. How much did you ever
urge upon them the importance of that great Pente-
costal Baptism, in which the souls are cleansed and filled
with all the fullness of God, so that thence onward,
God shall dwell in them and walk in them ? I will not
reprove you for your zeal for what you regard as the
proper mode of water baptism. But Oh ! this neglect
of the other ! This practical ignoring and pushing into
the background, that which God intended should be
foremost and overshadowing, has been a sin reprehen-
sible and inexcusable.
Let me ask you to begin a just reform, by preaching
at lest three sermons on the baptism of the Holy Ghost
where you do one on the baptism of water. And fur-
ther, be as sure that you and your brethren are bap-
tised by the Holy Ghost in latter day fullness, as you
are that you have been totally immersed in the water,
which is at best only its material shadow ! What is
the shadow to the substance and what is the husk to
the corn?
TO THE METHODISTS. 139
A WORD WITH MY METHODIST BRETHREN.
Beloved I am a Congregationalist, naturally such,
and such by education. I was converted in that
Church, have worked in its harness all my life thus far,
and expect to unto the end. But my heart is full of
tender feeling towards my Methodist brethren. I ad-
mire your strong adhesiveness one to another, your la-
borious and self-denying preachers, your aggressive
work among the poor and helpless. I rejoice in your
wonderful growth, and at the bold and advanced stand
your great conferences have taken against the saloon
curse, and the political parties which pander to it. But
most of all I admire your prononced belief in the baptism
of the Holy Spirit, as a latter day blessing, as well as
Apostolic. Your honored founder, John Wesley the
Paul of modern times who from Jerusalem round
about to Illyricum fully preached the Gospel, gave an
emphasis to this doctrine, equalled by no other man with-
in the last 1,000 years. Honoring this great feature of
Christ's dispensation, God honored him. The Holy
Ghost, whose baptismal power he preached, wrought
wonderfully with him. Souls were converted wherever
he went. Nor was that all. In almost every gathering
140 PAEACLETOS.
of converts large enough to form a class, there was
raised up some one suitable to be a class-leader. On him
he laid his hands and prayed that he might receive the
Holy Ghost. And forth-with he developed a power in
counsel, speech and prayer, which was not of Earth !
So in larger circles of classes, exhortere and local
preachers were raised up, who well supplied the local
want. Then in the larger circles of Churches, itiner-
ant preachers, elders and bishops arose, each annoint-
ed for his specific work, and usually wonderfully adapt-
ed for it. In all these gradations of leadership, the
one great and indispensable thing insisted upon by
Wesley, was that the man must have received the baptism
of the Holy Ghost, or be deemed unfit for the place.
No learning or power of oratory was allowed as a sub-
stitute for this super-natural gift. This was Apostolic.
This was of the Holy Ghost. And this doctrine, breth-
ren, with its attendant realization, has in my opinion
been the source of your wonderful growth and pros-
perity. But while your growth is wonderful, not less
so in my estimation, have been the vast numbers of
men, who from obscurity and the vales of ignorance,
have been raised up and endowed with powers of per-
suasion and eloquence, not unlike that possessed by the
TO THE METHODISTS. 141
primitive Church. Especially have they been success-
ful in the great work of the Church, that of convert-
ing men. Not infrequently, a simple class-leader, being
more efficient in that line than a Professor of Theol-
ogy ! And indeed knowing more than he, about Christ
as a Saviour from sin and sinning ! But brethren, while
your past has been glorious, your future is dangerous-
Suffer a friend to suggest some of its sources.
1st. You are greatly in danger of filling your
Churches with unworthy members. I have noticed
that in your conferences a premium seems to be of-
fered for the report of largest numbers added to the
Church. So that he who presents the largest list is
counted worthy of the most desirable appointments.
I do not say this is universal, but in my observation it
has been so general, that a great temptation is placed
before the preacher, to report as large a list as pos-
sible. Accordingly, not a few confideotly pronounce
those who came forward in their meetings for prayer,
converted, and rush their names on the class books.
And when the probation has passed, receive them into
full membership, unless something special turns up
against them, or they voluntary withdraw. In pro-
tracted meetings I have held with niy Methodist
142 PARACLETOS,
brethren, I have often been shocked by the reckless
proclamation as converts, of people who had simply
come forward for prayer and had said in a whisper or
aloud, that they felt some degree of relief. Oh ! it is
wicked to help people to a false hope to encourage
them to build their house upon the sand !
2d. You are in danger of becoming proud and
boastful over your numbers. Already you have sur-
passed all other denominations of Protestants in this
country, and are yearly adding enormously to your
membership. Satan will take advantage of this and
tempt you as he did David, to number Israel. I fear
he is doing it now. Let me warn you against this
pride of numbers and may the Lord preserve in your
ranks the humility of your early days, while He in-
creases your list a thousand fold.
3d. Another danger I must not fail to warn you
against, is that of denominational selfishness. Denomina-
tions are as liable to be selfish in their policy and their
work, as are the individuals who compose them. We
the Evangelical Christians of different names are all
brethren. And all the tribes of our Israel are dear to
the Lord. And we are to love one another and
seek each others prosperity as the brothers and sisters
TO THE METHODISTS. 143
of the same family. But when we become selfish and
seek to push our denomination ahead of all others, and
delight in our own advancement, however it may af-
fect others, we may not only bring reproach upon
Christianity, but offend the Master also. In remons-
trating some years since with a Presiding Elder, for
some such work of selfishness, he replied, " I intend to
start a Methodist Sabbath school, wherever I can get
fifteen scholors to join it. " " And Abraham said to
Lot, let there be no strife between me and thee and
between my herd-men and thy herd-men, for we are
brethren! Is not the whole land before thee? If thou
wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or
if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the
left. "
4th. Another danger and that the greatest of ail, is
that becoming great and renowned, honored and re-
spected, for your eloquent orators, your learned men,
your colleges and seminaries, the number of your
houses of worship and the vast population to which
you minister, that by a slow but gradual process, your
reliance will imperceptibly be transferred from the
Holy Ghost to these great forces, as that by which you
expect to advance and conquer. "Jessuran waxed fat
144 PAEACLETOS.
and kicked. " Prosperity to a Church is more danger-
ous than poverty and much more to be feared. This
was the rock on which the early Church was wrecked.
When that Church was small in number, poor in purse,
destitute of scholars and learned men, and surrounded
by foes fierce and implacable, then it looked upward
with steadfast eye to the Holy Ghost. On Him they
depended. They sought the great baptism and they
received it. And God was manifest in them, alike in
prayer meetings and at the martyrs stake ! These were
the days of most rapid growth. Not because " the
blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church, " but
because the Church ivas illuminated! The Holy Spirit
shone through it, revealing human selfishness and
God's salvation. And when they spoke it was not with
enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration
of the Spirit and with power. But alas ! When they
had grown great in numbers, had built great
Churches, had schools of Theology and of science, and
had otherwise become renowned and influential, they
began to rely on their earthly power and less and less
on the Spirit. Farther and farther they wandered, as
less and less became their conscious dependence on the
Spirit of God. And that, brethren, is your danger;
TO THE METHODISTS. 145
that you become proud of your numbers, boastful of
your schools, your great men, your missions, and your
money. May the Lord save you from the demoraliz-
ing influences prosperity so often brings ! May he
keep you ever humble ; not by stripes, but by loving
and suggestive influences, such as he much prefers to
the rod. Continue to proclaim as on the housetop,
that we live under the administration of the Holy Ghost !
that he is as ready now as in Apostolic days to descend
in Pentecostal power, and sanctify his people. Let the
Churches seek the great blessing as they did in the
days of the sainted Wesley, and your final success will
be assured. Suffer this word of friendly warning,
brethren. And may the twentieth century look down
upon a sanctified Methodist Church, in every important
locality on the face of the earth.
146 PARACLETOS.
CHAPTER XII.
Experiences of this Baptism testified unto by eminent
Christians.
This appeal to the Churches would be incomplete,
were the writer to omit in conclusion, the giving of
samples of experiences of this Baptism of the Spirit,
testified unto by men and women eminent for conse-
cration and usefulness. We will first present that of
Dwight L. Moody, as given by him in a great revival
meeting in the City of Glasgow, Scotland. Mr. Moody
said : "I can myself go back almost twelve years, and
remember two holy women who used to come to my
meetings. It was delightful to see them there ! When
I began to preach I could tell by the expression of
their faces, that they were praying for me. At the
close of the Sabbath evening meeting they would say
to me, 'We have been praying for you/ I said 'why
don't you pray for the people ?' They answered, 'you
need the power.' I need the power ? I said to myself !
why, I thought I had power. I had a large Sabbath
CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES. 147
School and the largest evening congregation in Chica-
go. There were some conversions at the time. I was
in a sense satisfied. But right along these two Godly
women kept praying for me, and their earnest talk
about a 'special annointing' set me to thinking. I
asked them to come and talk with me, and we got down
on our knees. They poured out their hearts that I
might receive an annointing from the Holy Spirit ; and
there arose a great hunger in my soul. I did not
know what it was. I began to cry as never before.
The hunger increased. I was crying all the time that
God would fill me with his Spirit. Well, one day in
the city of New York, Oh ! what a day ! I cannot de-
scribe it. I seldom refer to it. It is almost too sacred
an experience to name. Paul had an experience of
which he never spoke for fourteen years. I can only
say that God theie revealed himself to me, and I had
such an experience of his love, that I had to ask him
to stay his hand. I went to preaching again. The ser-
mons were not different. I did not present any new
truths. And yet hundreds were converted. I would not
now be placed back where I was before that blessed
experience, if you would give me all of Glasgow. It
would be but the small dust of the balance."
148 PARACLETOS.
On another occasion Mr. Moody said, refering to this
experience, "The blessing came upon me suddenly like
a flash of lightning. For months I had been hunger-
ing for this power of service, I had come to a point
where I think I should have died if I had not got it.
Since then I have never lost the assurance that I am
walking in communion with God, and I have a joy in
his service which makes it easy work." This experi-
ence has a bearing on the questions Should this bap-
tism be definitely sought, and does it sometimes come
suddenly, and does it abide now, as in the days of
Peter and Paul ?
REV. B. FAY MILLS.
This distinguished Evangelist, whom the Holy Spirit
is leading from State to State, and from city to
city, and through whom he is working with wonderful
power, is also one who like Moody, and Finney, and
Wesley, and Whitfield, and Peter and Paul, believes in
a Special Baptism of the Holy Spirit. He is one, too,
who like them sought it, and as he believes received it,
and hence mighty works da show forth themselves in
his labors. In a letter to the Author, he thus alludes
to his experience "You are right in thinking I have
CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES. 149
received an especial Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I had
been preaching for a number of years, and with con-
siderable success, before I so much as realized, what
was meant by the power of the Holy Ghost. The bles-
sing came to me, as the result of the emptying of my
heart and life before God, and the shuting up of my-
self to Him, and a subsequent season of severe test-
ing. My life has been transformed by the definite ful-
fillment of the promise of God, in the joy and strength
and power of the Holy Ghost."
We submit that the testimony of such a man, whose
success is so marvellous, and whose praise is in all the
Churches, as to the way by which the Lord led him in-
to the baptism, which has so revolutionized his life and
his labors, should have especial weight with all practi-
cal and earnest men.
MISS FEANCES E. WILLAED.
We next give the testimony of Miss Frances E.
Willard, President of the National W. C. T. U., and the
most distinguished Christian woman of America, if not
of the world. This lady was hopefully converted at
Evanston, 111., in A. D. 1859. For some six or seven
years she lived the usual halting and advancing lower
150 PAEACLETOS.
plane Christian life. Then a great change came over
her an uplift in experience, in vision and in power
a baptism of the Holy Ghost ! Thus she speaks of it
and thus she was led thereto. "In 1886, Mrs. Bishop
Hamline came to our village. This saintly woman
placed in my hands the life of Hester Ann Eodgers,
Life of Carvosso, Life of Mrs. Fletcher, Wesley's ser-
mons on Christaiu Perfection and Mrs. Palmer's Guide
to Holiness. My reading of these books and my talks
with Mrs. Hamline deeply impressed me. Soon after
Dr. and Mrs. Phebe Palmer came to Evanston and
held meetings in our Church. One evening when Mrs.
Palmer had spoken with marvelous clearness and power,
she asked those who were desirous of entering into the
higher Christian life, to come forward and kneel at the
Altar. I and my mother went and kneeling, in utter
self abandonment I consecrated myself anew to God."
Then there arose a severe testing, such as Mr. Mills
alludes to, in which one sacrifice after another came
before her, as the conditions of receiving the Gre^t
Gift she longed for. One after another were laid on
the Altar, even to " the pretty little jewels " on her
person. This done, she writes : "A great peace came
to my soul. I cannot describe the deep welling up of
CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES. 151
joy that gradually possessed me. I was utterly free
from care. I was blithe as a bird that is good for
nothing but to sing. I did not ask, ' Is it duty ? * but
intuitively knew what to do. The conscious emotional
presence of Christ, through the Holy Spirit, held me.
I ran about upon his prrands just from love ! Life was
a halcyon day!" This continued without interrup-
tion till it was somewhat dimmed by yielding to advice
not to confess the gift of God, in a new place to which
she went to live, and where the doctrine had been
brought into disrepute by the strange freaks and
follies of some professing the Gift. This she mourned
over as a grevious mistake and a sin, nevertheless she
largely recovered the lost ground and still enjoys a
large measure of the early joy, and grace and power.
REV. EDWARD PAYSON.
In the State of Maine, no minister has ever equaled
Edward Payson, in power as a preacher, or in religious
influence over the people. That he received this Bap-
tism of the Holy Spirit, is evident from such records
of his words and writings as follow. In a letter to a
friend thus he writes : " Were I to adopt the figurative
152 PARACLETOS.
language of Bunyan, I should date this letter from the
Land of Beulah, of which I have been for some time a
happy inhabitant. I can find no words to describe my
happiness. I seem swimming in a river of pleasure,
which is carrying me to the great fountain ! God is
now, literally, my all and in all, and while He is present
with me, no event can in the least diminish my happi-
ness, and were the whole world at my feet, trying to
minister to my comfort, they could not add one drop to
my cup."
A similar experience is described by President Ed-
wards of a pious lady whom h6 knew. The Tennant
brothers of New Jersey, have left behind a like record of
their own experiences. And the death-beds of ten-
thousand Christians have evinced a power of the Holy
Ghost, triumphant over disease, weakness and pain,
super-human, Divine and semi-miraculous. One ques-
tion we wish to ask the reader in view of them, viz:
Is it not possible to have this rich endowment this
vivid sense of God's presence this victory over temp-
tation this full assurance of faith, and power of ut-
terance long before we reach the chamber of death ? We
need it in the open field of active labor, where we can
use it for the Glory of God, and the Salvation of men.
CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES. 153
Admit we need dying grace, more yet we need the
grace to live, and work for Christ.
We have the testimony of several others at hand,
such as James Brainard Taylor, Rev. Chas. G. Finney,
etc., but they accord so perfectly with those already
given, that it seems superfluous to add them. In the
mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be
established. We will add however some points on
which all the witnesses agree those withheld, and
those given.
1st. They all confess the reception of this blessing,
at periods considerably distant from conversion. In
nearly all cases years after, as was true of the Apostles.
2d. That it did not come- to them, till definitely
sought, and that too, with strong persistency and im-
portunate prayer.
3d. That its coming was not after the ideal of a
gradual growth, advocated by many, but rather after
the Pentecostal pattern, and so marked by peculiar
experiences that ihey could not doubt it was from God.
4th. They each confess to a severe testing of their
willingness to do and suffer for Christ, somewhat like
that which takes place at conversion, before the Spirit
in double portion came upon them.
154 PAEACLETOS.
5th. That with the blessing, there came an enlarged
sense of the Divine presence, a new faith in His pow-
er, victory over sinful propensities, courage and liberty
in declaring God's will, peace, joy, and an assurance
of acceptance^ which made doubt thenceforth impos-
sible. In these things and more they all agree. It
will hardly do for Christians lightly to set aside the
testimony of these witnesses, backed as they are by
Apostolic example, and warranted by the promises of
our Lord. Nor is it safe to look around and ask, "Have
any of the rulers of the Pharisees had this experi-
ence ? and gauge our privileges in this line, or our
duty to God, by attainments common in the Churches.
It is to the Bible we must go, and to its exceeding great
and precious promises, to learn the measure of our
privileges and duties, and not to the ever-varying
phases of religious life and doctrine prevalent in reli-
gious circles.
DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY. 155
CHAPTER XIII.
The Divinity and Personality of the Holy Spirit.
Since the foregoing was written a brother in the
ministry has recalled my attention to the general
ignoring of the Holy Spirit and his work in the relig-
ious literature of the times. He also claims th#t not
a few members of our churches deny the personality of
the Holy Ghost, and interpret the words " Holy Spirit,"
"Comforter," etc., as indicative only of a moral and
spiritual influence proceeding from the Father and the
Son. He suggests that something more written on
both these points would be pertinent and profitable.
To the first matter we called attention in the intro-
duction. We will add here as a further striking proof
of a drift of the modern church from her anchorage
in the Spirit, and his agency, the fact that the Bibliotheca
Sacra, while published at Andover for the period of
thirty-six years from 1844 to 1879, did not contain a
single article on this vastly important subject. And this
silence of the great Theological Quarterly was matched
by a similar silence of the pulpit during all those
156 PARACLETOS.
yeais, and has been to this day. Is this because of the
rapid increase and extension of human agencies, and a
natural absorbtion in them and dependence on them ?
Possibly. There is doubtless danger here, even as
there is to the wealthy to trust in their riches, and the
strong to lean on their strength. But whatever may
be the cause of this feature of our modern Church
literature, there is need that we speedily retrace our
steps and say with Paul, " / will not dare to speak of
any of those things, which Christ hath not wrought by
me, though mighty signs and wonders by the power of
the Spirit of God. " The New Testament from be-
ginning to end, abounds in exultant records of the
work of the Holy Ghost. More than two hundred
times between Matthew and Kevelation, he is spoken
of and His mighty work in the early Church. A like
frequent acknowledgement of Him, is requisite in
modern Church literature, to keep the people from
forgetting Him and leaning on an arm of flesh. The
other matter referred to by my friend the denial of
the personality of the IJply Spirit is graver still. And
the results of such a denial, the writer believes, will not
be less disasterous than the denial of the Divinity of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus Mr. Spurgeon speaks of
DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY. 157
it on page 191 of his late biography: " We have before
us the wretched spectacle of professedly Orthodox
Christains, publicly avowing union with those who
deny the personality of the Holy Ghost. " And because
the English Baptist Union did this, he and the
Churches which he had planted, withdrew from it and
became independent. We will therefore give this
matter more lengthy- consideration. We begin with
the confession of the unity of the Divine being and
nature that there is one God and only one. This is
asserted positively and often in the Old Testament. It
is repeated in the New, and it is grandly confirmed by
the unmistakeable evidence-of unity of design, mani-
fest in all the works of creation. These two great
books Creation and Revelation, testify that God is
one. With one voice they cry, " Hear O ! Israel ! The
Lord our God is one Lord ! "
The Deity is revealed in the Bible and brought
home to the understanding of men, under the names
and personalities of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
In each of these personalities a special presentation of
the Divine character and aid is given. To each is as
cribed personality and Divine attributes. No candid
reader of the book of God can escape the conclusion
158 PARACLETOS.
that it reveals God t'o us, as one in being and three
in personal representation of Himself to us. And if
this is so, it must be because God saw that such pre-
sentation of Himself to the human family, would most
fully reveal His love and help us in our low estate. It
would have been one of the easiest things conceivable,
for God so to have spoken of the Holy Ghost and also
of the Christ, as to have forestalled and prevented all
the long controversy over the question of the Trinity
the Divinity of Christ, and the personality of tbe
Spirit. To that end it was only necessary to use words
according to their common use and natural meaning.
But for some reason the book of Inspiration so speaks
of the Holy Spirit that earnest believers, with rare
exceptions, accept Him as a Person, pray to Him as
Divine, look to Him for help, and love and worship
Him as God.
But our friends ask for proofs that the Holy Ghost
is recognized in the Bible as a Person, and more than
a Divine moral influence. We cannot enter largely
into the discussion of this matter, but will give a few
points. In John 14: 1G, Jesus said to the disciples, "I
will pray the Father, and He shall give you Another
Comforter Paracletos, that He may abide with you for-
DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY. 159
ever." The word Paracletes, translated comforter, is a
noun in the masculine gender, and designates a person,
as truly as do the words, Jesus or Jehovah. And the
promise of Another Paracletos by implication says "I
have been your Comforter hitherto, but now I am going
away, but I will ask the Father and He shall send you
another Comforter, who will be my successor, and He
shall abide with you forever." In verse 26, of the
same Chapter he adds, "But the Comforter, the Holy
Ghost, Whom the Father will send in my name, He shall
teach you all things, etc." Here also is given the name
of a person, and not of an influence, and three times
His personality is taught in the italicized noun and
pronouns.
In the next Chapter, John 15: 26, the same testimony
to the personality of the Spirit is given in the words,
"But when the Comforter is come, Whom I will send
unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth,
which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify
of me."
In the next Chapter, John 16: 7, Jesus said, "It is ex-
pedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you ; But if I de-
part I will send Him unto you, and when He is come
160 PARACLETOS. '
He will reprove the world, etc. Howbeit when He,
the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all
truth for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever
He shall hear, that shall He speak, and He will show
you things to come, He shall glorify me, for He shall
receive of mine and show it unto you." What means
this repetition of the personal name Paracletos, and
the long list of personal pronouns which follow in
these last quotations? How easy to have said "it" if
only an influence, and not a person was meant. And if
Paracletos is not a person, what shall we make of the
expression, "He shall not speak of himself?"
But these are not the only passages of Scripture
which speak of the Spirit as a person. In Acts 13: 2,
" As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy
Ghost said, separate Me Barnarbas and Saul, for the
work, whereunto I have called them. " Here the
Holy Ghost speaks, as a person and says, " Separate
Me (or unto Me) Barnabas and Saul, to the work
whereunto / have called them. " The use of the two
personal pronouns, I and Me and the act of speaking,
assume in the strongest form the personality of the
Holy Spirit. More emphatically still is the personality
of the Spirit declared in the Baptismal formula which
DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY. 161
our Lord gave His disciples in Matt. 28: 19, "Go ye there-
fore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
Here the personality of the Spirit is put on a par with that
of the Father and the Son. And here by direct injunc-
tion ofClirist, each person entering the visible Church
down through the ages, in the ordinance of baptism is
taught,- in the most impressive form, the doctrine of
the Trinity and the personality of the Holy Ghost.
And let me ask why, in such an hour, in a rite so sol-
emn and impressive, when the sensibilities of the con-
vert, like melted wa.x are so warm and impressible,
why choose that occasion for the use of language so
expressive of the personality of the Holy Spirit '?
Surely it bespeaks the vast importance of the doctrine-
It says in effect, "Let no man enter the visible Church
until first taught that he has a personal Father God,
a Eedeemer Jesus Christ the Son, and a per-
sonal Indweller and Sanctifier the Holy Ghost ! "
Like unto this and additional to it, is the Apostolic
Benediction " The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost,
be with you all, amen." 2d Cor. 13: 14. This lan-
guage also assumes and proclaims the personality of
162 PAEACLETOS.
the Holy Spirit, equally with that of the Father and
the Son. And being the most suitable and complete
of all Biblical forms of benediction for the closing of
religious services, it has by common consent been
adopted with great unamirnity by the Churches of
Christendom. And thus in the solemn closing df each
religious service down through the centuries, each
hearer leaves the house of God with words rirfging in
his ears, which teach the personality of the Holy Spirit
Words assuring him as he goes out into the world,
that there is a Father above who loves him, a Saviour
who died for his salvation, and a Holy Spirit who has
come to dwell with him in loving helpfulness and
sympathy, to sanctify, empower and fit him for heaven.
And yet again let me ask, why this teaching of the
personality of the Spirit, thus impressively, in the
closing words of each religions service? The answer
must be, because of its pre-eminent importance in the
Christian system. That it is of great practical impor-
tance is proven.
1st. By observation. Mohamedans and Jews believe,
and strongly assert the unity of God. But denying
or ignoring the personality and indwelling of the
Holy Spirit, as well as the Divinity of Christ, the God
DIVINITY AND PEESONALITY. 163
they profess to worship is far removed from them, and
their religion is cold, cheerless and barren as the
frozen zone. God is to them a God afar off and not
nigh, as He is to those whose thoughts have to do with a
Christ, who has walked in very flesh in our human
paths, and was in all points tempted as we are, and
who have also taken the Holy Spirit into their dwellings,
and into their very bodies and souls to dwell with them
all their days, in all efficient love and sympathy. Vast is
the moral chasm between these two classes of believers
in God. The powerful influence of the doctrine of the
Trinity, is what makes the difference between the two.
2d. It is agreeable to reason also that the doctrine
of the Divine personality of the Spirit, should exert a
happy and powerful influence over those who accept it.
Love in the form of enkindled affection is a great force,
lying back of human willing and human action. In-
valuable is its aid in the moral strife and in all
Christain work. But love attaches itself to a personal-
ity, and not to an abstract moral influence. And that
personality to affect our human nature powerfully,
must be at hand and not afar off. The old adage,
" Out of sight, out of mind " expresses an experience
in this line as well as in another. With what exquisite
164 PAEACLETOS.
satisfaction, John speaks of the preciousness of this
personal contact he had with our Lord ! " That which
was from the beginning, which we have heard, which
we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked
upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of
life declare we unto you. " 1 John 1 : 1, and 2. So
to love God warmly and strongly there needs to be a
presentation to us of Him as an indwelling Spirit, full
of sympathy and love, One with whom we can walk
all the day long and who will never leave or
forsake us. One ready to help and mighty to save.
3d. Experience comes to our aid in proof of this
value of the doctrine of the Personality and indwell-
ing of the Holy Spirit. It is said in John 14: 17, "He
dwelleth with you and shall be in you." Many other
passages assert His constant attendance upon our steps,
His fellowship with us, and his occupation of the body
itself, making it his holy Temple. This wonderful
truth accepted by faith, and confirmed by helps re-
ceived from an unseen hand, gives the Christian vic-
tory over temptations of Satan, over fleshly impulses,
over the world, and all the power of the enemy. Be-
cause an Almighty personal friend is here by his xzWe?,
and in his heart. David said "I foresaw the Lord al-
DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY. 165
ways before my face, for he is on my right hand that
I should not be moved." This doctrine of the person-
ality of the Holy Spirit, his indwelling, his sympathy,
his help in every time of need, is too precious and too
important to be left out of the volume of revealed-
truth. Nor can it be ignored or underrated, except at
the expense of vast spiritual disaster, if not of spirit-
ual death. Finally, the doctrine of the personality,
of the Spirit receives its complete and satisfactory
demonstration only in the blessed Baptism of which
we have been speaking. There is a theoretic accept-
ance of Chirst as a Divine personage. But in it we
no more appreciate Him, than we do a man of whom
we have only seen his shadow. But beyond this there
is an experimental revelation of the God-Man to the
soul, given to us by the Spirit and by Him alone.
Paul speaks of this latter when he says, "No man can
say that Jesus is the Christ, but by the Holy Ghost."
So also when he says "But when it pleased God to re-
veal his son in me." So when Peter said to Jesus. '-Thou
art the Christ!" The Master replied, "Flesh and blood
hath not revealed it to thee but my Father only." In
like manner there is a theoretic acceptance "of the per-
sonality of the Holy Spirit, and beyond this an ex-peri-
166 PAEACLETOS.
mental acquaintance with him, demonstrative, realistic,
delightful, helpful and personal. As truly personal to
us as is a father, mother or a human friend. In a let-
ter before me a lady of eminence, thus speaks of an
experience in this line. "Sometimes my communion is
with the Father. Then with the Son. At other times
with the Third Person in the Adorable Trinity. "An-
other writer says, "In my early Christian life, Jesus,
was the Central Divine Personage around whom my
love and thoughts spontaneously clustered. As a rule,
my prayers began with the words, Blessed Jesus ! After
a time so was the Fatherhood of God revealed, that
the beginning of my prayer was changed to Our Fath-
er ! But when at length I received the holy Baptism,
then God was revealed in the personality and work of
the Holy Spirit, He filled my heart, controlled my life,
and became the subject of adoration and largest
thought." We think this was true of the Apostles.
Doubtless their first worship was of the Father God.
At length Jesus, the Messiah, was so revealed to them,
that they held him by the feet and worshipped him,
and like Thomas exclaimed "My Lord and My God."
Afterward came the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, and
filled all the house where they were sitting, and
DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY. 167
thence onward, their frequent mention of His name,
their exultant experiences of His work, His holy
companionship and power, show a new revelation to
them of his Divine nature and personality. Our hymn
books also, the richest depositories of religious expe-
rience, and of a correct and spiritual theology, bring
out vividly, the same experimental apprehension of
God, in these three-fold relations of Father, Son and
Holy Ghost. As a sample of the hymns referred to,
read the following from Chas. Wesley:
"Come thou Almighty King,
Help us Thy name to sinar,
Help us to praise,
Father all glorious,
O'er all victorious,
Come and reign over us.
Ancient of days.
Come thou Incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword,
Our prayers attend ;
Come and Thy people bless,
And give Thy word success,
Spirit of holiness,
On us descend.
168 PAEACLETOS.
Come Holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness hear,
In this glad hour;
Thou who Almighty art,
Now rule in every heart,
And ne'er from us depart,
Spirit of power.
To Thee, G-reat One in. Three,
The highest praises be,
Hence evermore;
His sovereign Majesty,
May we in glory see,
And to eternity,
Love and adore!"
This tri-personality of God then, is an experience,
as well as a doctrine of Theology. And the aim of the
doctrine was to lead to the experience, as was the rev-
elation of a heaven, to lead us there.
In closing the discussion of this great topic, permit
the writer to ask, has it not been a serious fault of most
writers upon the Trinity, that they have largely over-
looked its practical and experimental influence upon our
race ? Have they paused before the startling announce-
ment, of a Trinity and a Unity in the God-Head, and
sought after some great practical reason therefor ?
DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY. 169
Some want in our human conditions which made it a
necessity that God should so reveal Himself to us ?
Suffer us also to entreat our readers to give themselves
no rest, till they have each personally gone to these
three gates of approach unto God, and have there
been taught in a blessed experience, why these
three gates were made and mankind invited to come
unto God through them ? The Bible is a costly book.
There is a preciousness in all its doctrines beyond the
power of human estimation. They have all a practical
value, as well as a theoretical beauty and consistency.
May the Lord teach as in a rich experience the intent
find value of the One we have been considering.
170 PARACLETOS.
CHAPTER XIV.
Final Words of Counsel.
The earnest desire of the writer, that this treatise
should be helpful, especially to such as in laying down
the book shall take up the purpose, to start forthwith
for the King's highway of holiness, with intent to walk
thereon, even to the City of God, leads him to add an
additional chapter of more specific directions pointing
out the way. To men and women of this class he
would say.
1st. Let it be a settled sentiment with you, that there
is such a highway of holiness, cast up by the Lord, on
which the ransomed of the Lord may return and come
to Zion a Baptism of the Holy Ghost powerful and
Pentecostal an establishment in holy living, not sub-
ject to the interruptions and vacillations, which usually
characterize the first stages of Christian life.
2d. That this privilege of walking on the King's
High-Way is offered to you personally ; as much so, as
if your individual name were attached to the promises
relating thereto. "Ho ! every one that thirsts come ye to
FINAL WOEDS OF COUNSEL. 171
the waters ! And lie that hath no money come ! buy
wine and milk without money and without price !" "On
that last day the great day of the feast Jesus stood
and cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto
me and drink ! And he that believeth on me as the
Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of
living water. This spoke he of the Spirit, which they that
believe on him should receive, for the Holy Ghost was
not yet given." This Special Gift, the Pentecostal Bap-
tism, is offered to any man who thirsts. It is offered
in abundance in rivers !" It is offered to you no mat-
ter what your circumstances or history.
3d. The difficulties in the way of the attainment of
this gift of grace, are far from being insuperable. God
longs to put us all in possession of it. He has cast up
a high way to it. Relays of help are at every point of
need. The blind need not miss the road, nor the
lame stumble upon it. It will grieve the Father if
any of us miss it, and the Saviour will weep over our
failure, as once he wept over Jerusalem, saying, Oh !
Jerusalem, Jerusalem ! And the Holy Spirit too will
be grieved if we will not let Him lead us there. We
shall all admit this, and the admission involves the
assurance that the terms of acquisition must be com-
172 PARACLETOS.
pliable and reasonable; as reasonable as infinite wis-
dom and love could make them. The yoke must be
easy and the burden light.
There is an easy way and a hard way of doing duty.
The easy way is the way of faith, where distrusting
ourselves., we look to God for help and lean on His
strong arm. It is then and then only, that we run and
are not weary, and walk and not faint. What mul-
titudes testify to this ! " For what the low could not
do in that it was weak through the flesh " this the
Son of God enables us to do, "that the righteous-
ness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk
not after the flesh but after the Spirit. " The hard
way on the other hand, is that in which we strive to
walk alone, and stumble at every step ! Giving our-
selves credit for the grace of humility, we think our-
selves unworthy that the Lord should come to our
aid where we are ! No ! But we must hobble on and on,
till we reach a place over yonder, when we hope to
meet the host of God, and be escorted by it into the
land of Beulah ! Alas ! What a mistake ! Seeker of
salvation, you need help to begin ! To take the first
step ! " Without Me you can do nothing. " But you
can do all things through Christ who strengthened
FINAL WORDS OF COUNSEL. 173
you ! The easy way then is to lift up your hand to
God where you are and cry, " Lord help me to get up,
and help me walk, and lead me on forever more !" And
if you will give a decent credit to His infinite gener-
osity and interest in you if you will believe and fol
low His direction, He will guide you step by step and
make your life a joy and triumph ! Three things only
are needful, consecration, faith, and the help of One
Mighty to save !
4th. It need not take a long time to gain this holy
Baptism. We are well aware that many who have ob-
tained this annointing and whose experiences have been
published, have told us of the long and tedious road
they traveled, before they reached the promised land.
It reminds us of Israel's tortuous journeyings and of
the forty years in the wilderness. We are convinced
that the idea thence imparted, that such delay and
long seeking is necessary is misleading. Bible exam-
ples, it is safer to follow and they show a shorter road.
The longest examples of seeking the Bible gives, is
that of the Apostles, in the ten days prayer meeting.
With Saul of Tarsus there were evidently only three days
before he received his sight and the Gift of the Holy
Ghost. Then he began his life work boldly preach-
174 PAEACLETOS.
ing Christ in the Synagogues of Damascus. Short was
the introduction of the Samaritan Christians, the gen-
tile Cornelious, and those of Epehsus and elsewhere
into the fullness of baptismal influences and gracious
gifts.
An eminent Theologian, a man of great abilities and
learning, and a personal friend of the writer, makes a
sad mistake, we think, when he writes as follows :
" Those who have attained a sudden enlargement
and elevation of soul, often undertake to give instruc-
tions by which others may be saved the long conflict
which they endured, and be enabled to enter at once
upon the blessedness of victory, as if there were some
short cut for the pilgrim to the Delectable Mountains,
without his passing through the Slough of Despond and
the Valley of Humiliation. " We take direct issue with
our friend, and deny that there is any necessity for
Christians getting into the slough of despond floun-
dering there and sadly besmirching their garments and
person ! By " Slough of Despond, " is meant a state
of discouragement, unbelief and semi-despair, like that
of unbelieving Israel, when they murmured against
God and said, " We are not able to go up and possess
the Land ! " That was Israel's Slough of Despond.
FINAL WOBDS OF COUNSEL. 175
But it was recorded not for our imitation, but for our
warning, to bid us beware of getting into it. To
teach us how senseless it is and how wicked! Indeed
we affirm, there is no need of it. It is unwarranted
and forbidden by the Mighty Leader, who has taken
us by the hand, saying, "Fear not for I am with thee!
be not dismayed, for I am thy God ! " "Be strong
and of good courage ! Be not dismayed for the Lord
thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest ! " We
don't believe Bunyan intended to teach by this figure
ivhat ought to be, or must be, but only what often is, on
account of our sinful weakness and unbelief. But if
he did mean that we ought to go through the slough
and must, we take issue with him and declare that,
from the beginning of the Bible to the end, there is
not one intimation that in seeking the kingdom of
God and its highest gifts and blessings, we must
pass through a period of doubt, discouragement, des-
pondency a slough of despond and almost hopeless
despair! No! No! A decent faith in God will lead
us clear of it and through a shorter cut into the de-
lectable mountains! Sloughs of despond are hateful
places. God don't want us to go there or get into
them. The devil does. Who goes there takes, like
176 PAEACLETOS.
Israel, the long road and the wrong one. Like Israel
at Barnea, one day of travel in faith and Holy courage
will carry us over the border, quite within sight of
Bashan and Pisgah.
But who are so well qualified to give an opinion re-
garding the short or longer routes as those who have
been over them, took the longer way and now see the
mistakes they made? Surely there was a shorter cut
for Israel,than that they actually took up into Canaan.
They might have gone up by the way Jacob and
his sons went down into Egypt, or by some other
route west of it through the Philistine country. They
ought to have taken one of them. It would not have
taken them more than ten days of travel. A.
miserable want of courage and a wicked unbelief alone
made it necessary for them to take the long route.
Hear what God says, "And it came to pass, that when
Pharaoh let the people go, that God led them not
through the way of Philistines though that was near,
for God said, "Lest peradventure the people repent
when they see war and return to Egypt!" Sa also after
they had crossed an arm of the Red Sea, they might
then in one short year, have gone to Sinai and received
the law, made the journey back, and have gone up into
FINAL WORDS OF COUNSEL. 177
Canaan over its south-east border. And when they came
to Kadesh-Barnea on the border of the Holy Land, the
short cut or march of one day, would have carried
them within the sacred inclosure. But they took it not!
They were cowards. They had no faith. And though
urged and entreated by Joshua, Caleb, Moses and the
Lord to take the short cut, they would not but turned
back into the hateful desert, and floundered about in
its sloughs of despond for forty years. Teacher of -
Theology don't tell us we must follow that bad ex-
ample! There is surely a shorter road. At our
very door stands the Holy Sanctifier, saying so af-
fectionately, " Behold I stand at the door and
knock! If any man hear my voice and will open
the door I will come in to him and sup with him and
he with Me. " This idea of a long waiting before we
may hope to have the joyful reign of God within is like
the long since exploded teaching that the sinner must
go through a long period of penitent seeking, convic-
tion and almost despair before God would receive him !
Neither of them find their warrant in Bible prom-
ises or examples. On the contrary we can't come too
quickly to our Father's arms. Every moment we stay
away will grieve Him. Surely there is a short cut to a
178 PARACLETOS.
place of safety and of help. Now is the accepted
time ! To-day is the day of Salvation ! "
5th. Seek not after a sign. Jesus condemned the
Jews for doing so, And the Spirit has frowned upon
many a one since for the same thing. What we mean
is this, when you have consecrated yourself to God
and all you have, carefully, deliberately and as best
you know how to do, and have asked Him to put you
in any place and set you at any work He sees fit, and
have .asked the Holy Spirit now to come and take full
possession and direction, then take it home to your
heart as an accepted fact, that He has accepted the of-
fering and will from this moment, lead you forward in
the wisest path. Believe it not on account of any
special feeling. But because of His love and his word.
In after life, you will often ask for help and go for-
ward in the discharge of duty, with no special feeling
indicating God's approval. You might as well begin in
this way, relying on the naked word of God and your
conscious consecration of all to Him. Should the
question arise whether you have really laid all on
God's Altar, you can quietly ask the Spirit to show
what is withheld, 'that you may bring it also, and you
may rest assured he will do so. For it cannot be that
FINAL WOEDS OF COUNSEL. 179
He will allow one to be deceived on a point so impor-
tant, who comes to Him for light. So would not a
loving parent do. Paul says, " If in anything ye be
otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you. "
6th. After the consecration and the appropriating
faith, there often comes a brief period of testing the
thoroughness of the choice we have made. Don't be
alarmed. "Think it not strange concerning the fiery
trial which is to try you as if some strange thing had
happened to you, knowing that the same afflictions are
accomplished in your brethren in the world." Rather
receive it as a token that God has heard your prayer
and has come to ratify the covenant with you. When
God would exalt Abram, and give him the new name
of Abraham, he led him through the test of offering
up his only son !
7th. Having entered upon, the high road to holiness
and victory, in your upward reaching after still larger
endowments and power, do not forget to render thanks
to God continually, for the gifts already received.
There will remain behind, the great blessings of for-
giveness of a life of sin, find deliverance from Satan's
power. Whatever else you lack or think you lack,
never cease to thank God for these. The best prepara-
180 PARACLETOS.
tion for future blessings, is an appreciation and thank-
fulness for those already granted.
8th. Do not fail on all suitable occasions to confess
what the Lord has done for your soul. Such confes-
sion is at once due to God will be helpful to others
and give you great boldness in the faith.
We know not how more fittingly to close this appeal
for higher and holier living in our ministry and
Churches, than by citing two passages of Scripture;
one from Isaiah and one from a discourse of our Sa-
vior: "And a highway shall be there, and a way, and
it shall be called The Way of Holiness ; the unclean
shall not pass over it : but it shall be for those ; the
way-faring men though fools shall not err therein.
No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go
up thereon it shall not be found there ; but the re-
deemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the
Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and
everlasting joy upon their heads." Isaiah, 35: 8, 10.
"In that last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood
and cried: If any man thirst let him come unto me and
drink ! He that believeth on me, as the Sci ipture hath
said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe
FINAL WORDS OF COUNSEL. I1
on him should receive, for the Holy Ghost was not yet
given because that Jesus was not yet glorified." John,
7: 37, 40.
Holy Spirit ! faithful guide, ever near the Christian's
side,
Gently lead us by the hand, pilgrims in a desert land ; ; ,
Whispering softly wanderer come, follow Me, I'll guide
thee home,
Weary souls, fore'er rejoice, while they hear thy sweetest
voice .
Ever present, truest friend ! ever near thine aid to lend,
Leave us not to doubt and fear, groping on in darkness
drear ;
When the storms are raging sore, hearts grow faint and
hopes give o'er,
Whispering softly, wanderer come, follow Me, I'll guide
thee home.
When the days of life shall cease, waiting still for sweet
release,
Nothing left but heaven and prayer, wondering if our
name is there ;
Wading deep the dismal flood, pleading nought but Je-
sus' blood,
Whispering softly, wanderer come, follow Me, I'll guide
thee home.
182 PAEACLETOS.
A CLOSING PKAYER.
Before we part will the reader unite with the writer
in the following prayer ?
Heavenly Father ! in laying down this book, we look
upward to Thee and ask, that if on its pages there is a
message from the Lord for us, that we may not fail to
hear and heed it. If in the exceeding great and precious
promises of Thy word, there are measures of Grace and
Gospel gifts not yet properly sought by us, and there-
fore not received, help us without delay to rise up and
take possession if before each of us there are great
possibilities of usefulness. If from us may flow rivers
of living water, suffer us not to rest content, till the
possibility has become an actuality, and the promise of
Jesus is in our case fulfilled. We mourn our unfruit-
fullness, and that we have wrought so small deliver-
ance in the earth. Pass over the barren past, we pray
Thee, and in mercy forgive. Touch our hearts, Thou
gentle Spirit, and create a hunger there, that shall
grow more and more intense, till Thou shalt enter
FINAL WORDS OF COUNSEL. 183
them with Pentecostal gifts, and fill us with all the
fullness of God ! Enlarge our vision of Thy plan of
Grace. Increase our faith, till like Elisha after he had
received the double portion, we shall see the moun-
tains around us, full of horses and chariots of fire, sent,
to help and defend us, from the Lord of Hosts.
In the Great Redeemer's name.
Amen and Amen.
THE END.
ERRATUM: On page 19, second line, the word "kala 5
should read "kaline."
m
YC 15792
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